Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Gone from my Sight

Not sure if any of you read the comments in my last piece, but an old friend from High School has a sister with terminal cancer... I have asked everyone to keep her and her family in their prayers....but in the comments, I mentioned a piece that I first heard from my father years ago. I also saw it in a book that "Hospice" dropped off at my grandma's while we were all on "wait." (Danny called it Libbie Watch '08... he seems to find humor in even the soberest of situations.)

I've pasted it below for your view... my apologies for not including the original author.

Gone from My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side
spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and
starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty
and strength. I stand and watch her until at length
she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where
the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in
mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and
she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her
destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the
moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"

And that is dying.


*******

Other than the preoccupation I've had lately with the transition to the other side, I must say that my transition back to work has been relatively smooth...

Naturally I've gained weight... (does this post make my front-bum look bigger?) But I went to yoga AND spent a 1/2 hour on the treadmill last night so I should have a 6-pack in no time.

My nephew (the one that lives upstairs) told me "I love you" tonight... well, it was more like "ow-loo"... but i knew what he meant... we kind of have our own language to communicate. I hold out my arms for him to walk/come to me... he walks away and gets his blanket. It's silent queues like this that really lets me know I'm his favourite aunt.

I've got to make preparations for our open house this weekend (Sat, 6:30 - 8:30) ...everyone's invited... if you haven't got directions it means that a) you live out of state (or in SGU) and I didn't think you'd want to come or b) I just don't have your info, so shoot me a message or just give me a jingle and I can hook you up with the info (I'd put it here, but I kind of don't want to put my info on the web). Seriously, if you're reading this and in SLC, most likely, I'd love for you to stop by Saturday night... heavy h'ours d'ovuvers (umm, I can't spell that.)

cheers -
suite

6 comments:

Spencer Davis said...

I guess our E-vite got lost in the interweb.

mrs. farlanderz said...

sabrina! thanks for the invite - i am not sure if we can make it or not, but get us the address and time yadayada - you have my email address i think - good to hear from you and i hope to see ya'll saturday!
luv ya-
hel

Spencer Davis said...

I was just joking. You're correct. It would be difficult to make it from SG. Have fun.

Cicely said...

We will be there. I mean here.

WIKKY said...

Dude, didn't even know about it. Sounds like it was probably a hit!!! I am glad to see that you view death in such a way that you can be happy for those who pass. I feel the same way and always feel really bad when I am the only one not crying.
by the way, you look great!!!!!

WIKKY said...

I still have not seen Juno.... am I the only one? Let's get Lindsay to go too! I never get to be with her. Craig has basketball Saturday mornings, but maybe my sis will be there. I will let her know you guys are going! I would love to go to the movie though. I am open nights for sure. Craiger can watch the kiddos, I am too afraid that they would scare your hubby in to not wanting any!!!!! Ha.