Journeying – knowing grief, living towards hope, and the complexity in between

For Tony (Shirley), Amelia (Terry), and Susan (Tony) 

sometimes

slowly as mist rises in dawns early morning

sometimes

speedily as waters’ ceaseless flow over rapids and falls

sometimes

fleetingly, as dragonfly’s flit across tranquil waters –

now here, then gone

sometimes

time, space, memories

loss, grief, joy and laughter

come and go,

in and out

disturbing and disconnecting

renewing and revealing

always

there is

no emerging pattern or formula

no reliable progress towards ‘completion’

entering into a new beginning

for life lived and deeply loved

and those who inhabit it

then and now

and tomorrow’s tomorrow

all mixed in

there is only journey with immanence and distance

a rich and disturbing

peace-filled and relentless seeking-a-way

discovering the invitation to receive the gifts of sight and hearing

to continue becoming

sometimes this journey

is exciting

the discoveries invasive in their emergence

regenerative in depth and new birth

sometimes

it is warmed

through the company and gifts of presence

sometimes

it is just painful

discordant and disconnected

sometimes

the heart is torn

between longing for what is changed

and hope for the journey

sometimes

grace emerges into consciousness

infiltrates and permeates ones’ whole being

and in the complexity

immersed in loss and gain

the promise is midwifed into newness

“My cup overflows …

and goodness and mercy is following me,

all the days of my life!”

© amf20211208 – Tony Floyd

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Firsts-20190919 – For family and friends on Anniversary of Ciddy

Firsts-20190919 – For family and friends on Anniversary of Ciddy On the day when Ciddy left home in a Paramedic ambulance, I stood in our driveway with dear Hayley (our lovely neighbour family and dear friends), and my heart knew it was the last time I would see her off. Tomorrow is the anniversary of that day.  Over the next 22 hours, before the machines were turned off, I came to realise that on that very afternoon we had completed her foremost hope and planning … booked the travel for our beloved grandson, James’ June 2019 wedding in Greece. Signed and sealed in delight and joy just 5 hours earlier. With the knowledge came a deep and unchanging realisation that whatever would follow, Ciddy and I had no unfinished business, no regrets, no things unsaid. There was not a drop of loving unshared or unmet. Now, she has a particular, personal, place in the unfolding jigsaw which is my life … it is called “Miss You” , and it sits peacefully and in grace linked and joined t...
Read more
  Sending Terry’s spirit home: In the wind ... witnesses   In her language,  On her Country, She acknowledged the ancestors  and told them of our purpose there.   Quietly … we waited.   As she spoke so also a crow – the messenger bird called out             Telling the ancestors that another is to join them here   As the crows cries died down, a Wedge-tailed eagle appeared …             Then …             Another …  come at the crows’ call to receive our friend into their midst             The great crowd of witnesses revealing their welcome.   And … the wind … blew it blew … strongly   Spirt wind Creator Life giver Spirit receiver God revealer Reshaping land and seas Air and clouds And ...   crea...
Read more