Sunday, July 26, 2015
July 2015
Dear Joan, Greg, Sue and the rest of ‘Mrs. Glover’s’ family,
Who knew how deeply those people who played roles in our lives as we were growing up would affect us; how important their impacts were? Time and again this has struck me. All those in our elementary years, even if they weren’t our best friends, and even their parents, knowing them sometimes only peripherally, they all wove together to make our community that was so strong of an imprint. It seems that all those personalities are received by us in a more pure way when we are young- somehow. There is some binding quality; some kinship felt with those others who were there as we pushed through the joys and struggles of getting to know the world and ourselves. I feel this as I bump into old school mates, who I haven’t consciously thought of for years; people who I did not necessarily go to their house’s to play with. Many of those people had stronger impacts however, and were more formative than I could have imagined at the time. Your Mom falls into this category.
Mrs. Glover was Joanie’s Mom. She was also one of my 4-H Leaders. But, of course more than these roles in and of themselves, it was her awesome character that lived into all that she did that stands out. I immediately think of her resilience that was carried through by her contagious laugh. She laughed often in a kind of way that was sort of a partnership with life. We might call it positivity today. My son sometimes reminds me that I don’t laugh enough-way too serious. And I think, Oh yah, be more like Mrs. Glover. It would lighten the burdens and knock things back into perspective. I eat organic foods and all that, but I bet it is really laughter that will carry us into a long and happy life.
Whistling must fall into that same category. Mrs. Glover was an amazing whistler!
As our 4-H Leader Mrs. Glover took our 4-H club on a hike along the Housatonic River. I had never before realized how fully one could plunge into Nature. My parents farmed and gardened and lived into Nature in a different way. We worked in and with Nature, we didn’t recreate in it. I think this opened a huge realm for me, which I still pursue today.
These parents of ours are the base of the pyramid. It is both sad and intimidating to see them move on, as we then -our generation- are left to carry on and be the base of the pyramid; the characters that our children might be influenced by. It is strange that even in adulthood, I think of my parents as being that solid base.
I am so sorry for your grief.
It is with a clear view though that I can think of her as moving on despite missing her in this world. She is still close in the spiritual world and will always be close to her children especially.
Here is a little Irish verse that I sometimes read to my son who has already passed over the threshold:
May the long time sun shine on you,
All love surround you,
And the pure light within you,
Guide your way on.
May Love surround you. Bless you in this time of sadness and missing your Mom.
Lois Beardsley
