A California blogger just emailed me from a California Red Cross Center. She and her husband and daughters are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. She said nothing was left of her material life; they barely made it out alive. But I loved her spirit; she is eager to regain the pieces of her life. Much love to you, Jane.

When you told me the whole family was on the floor reading my blog and Maria’s and looking for my flower art photos, I did not know what to say.

But I dug out this beautiful poem from a funeral I went to when a friend died back in New York. It was lovely then and appropriate today. I hope this has meaning and some sense of hope for you.

Please stay in touch, and I will hold you in the light.

I want to ask anyone reading this blog tonight to be silent for a minute and think of Jane and her family and the many thousands of other people and families wondering how they can pick up life again.

Sadly, but fortunately, this is one of the things human beings are good at. This poem is for you, Jane. You are an inspiration to us.

 

The Thing Is
by Ellen Bass

to love life, to love it even
when you have no stomach for it
and everything you’ve held dear
crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
Your throat filled with its silt.
When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
thickening the air, heavy as water
more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights, you like your flesh
only more of it, an obesity of grief,
Do you think a body can withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you again.

 

_____

 

Dogs are part of my creative life; now,  Zip is integral. He’s the General Manager and the critic. Bless the animals; they are full of hope.

 

Bud came out to sit with me near the window for a while. He was part of it today, as was Zip, as usual. So, I decided to include them in my Flower art post. They light me up every time. Tomorrow is a partial Sabbath rest day. Maria did it first. I am struggling to catch up. I will see you in the morning, and then I’m off the clock until Sunday. Blessings to you all.