This is such a beautifully tender piece. Thanks for sharing your grief with us and inviting us to hold our own. Grief ebbs and flows for me. Just when I think the water is calm, tidal waves can usher it all back in. Sending you love and care, Caroline.
Thank you for the beautiful tribute to our dads. My dad (your uncle Dee for your readers) found faith after his stroke. While not a trained writer, he had a talent for expressing himself through poetry as one of his outlets after his other joys were lost as you described. This is one that has a few parallels to the excerpt you posted from Henri Nouwen. In spite of his challenges he could find the joy between the troubles.
“THE BREATH OF GOD”
THE BREATH OF GOD HAS TOUCHED ME
HIS SPIRIT FILLS MY SOUL
THROUGH HIS GRACE I'VE FOUND REDEMPTION
BY HIS SON WHO PAID MY TOLL
ON THE CROSS HE TOOK MY BURDEN WITH HIS DEATH, HE BROUGHT ME LIFE HE FREED ME FROM THE GRASP OF SATAN WHO HELD ME LIKE A VISE
MY LIFE IS STILL A STRUGGLE AND AT TIMES I STILL FEEL WEAK, THEN I FEEL HIS LOVE SURROUND ME TO GIVE THE ANSWERS THAT I SEEK
EVEN DAYS, FILLED WITH DARKNESS, ANGER, PAIN, AND GRIEF BECOME LIGHT, AND JOYFUL
WHEN GODS BREATH BRINGS ME RELIEF
HIS BREATH IS ALWAYS PRESENT
EVERY WHERE I LOOK
HE'S THE GENTLE BREEZES IN THE LEAVES OR BUBBLES IN A BROOK
HE'S THE DRIVING FORCE OF IVAN HE IGNITES A SOLAR FLARE
HE'S THE FIRST BREATH, WE TAKE IN LIFE WITH OUR LAST BREATH HE IS THERE.
MY AWSOME GOD'S AMAZING
WITH ALL THE THINGS HE HAS TO DO HE STILL PLACES SUCH IMPORTANCE
ON SPENDING EACH DAY WITH ME AND YOU - Dee Krumwiede
Thank you for sharing this… Grief is hard & can catch you off guard. One of the best analogies that helps me cope, is that grief is like being caught overboard at sea. The storms come strong & fast, tossing you about, clinging to a piece of driftwood… large waves crashing, feeling lost, torn & scared. Only to pass, offering the solace of quiet floating. The sun is warm & water cool, offering healing & peace from the heavy emotions. 🩵
“…Chicago suburbs and railroad tracks, of summer barbecues and the Beatles and short man-shorts with high white socks.”
I would have liked your Uncle Dee—certainly for his name. Thanks for the powerful share. My dad is recovering from a stroke in March and it’s been a grueling emotional journey to watch him try to come back to himself. 🙏
The year anniversary of my ex who died fighting in Ukraine was the other week - I found myself surprised by the grief that came from that. But it also reminded me of how grief can provide inspiration to live more beautifully.
This is so true. So very true. Grief opens the heart, my mother once told me, and in it's place something new grows. Thank you for sharing and my heart goes out to you.
Enjoyed the story and relate to the loss of my husband and brother 3 months apart. It was a while ago but still feels like yesterday. However my current grief is as a result of the loss of sight in my left eye. The tragedy is that this was due to negligence on the part of the surgeon that resulted in my eye building pressure and inflammation causing excruciating pain. The pressure damaged my optic nerve and loss of sight. Im still processing the trauma and really greaving at the moment. At the moment there is no solution as Doctor says nerves do not regenerate. Its a very sad moment for me.
This is such a beautifully tender piece. Thanks for sharing your grief with us and inviting us to hold our own. Grief ebbs and flows for me. Just when I think the water is calm, tidal waves can usher it all back in. Sending you love and care, Caroline.
This is so beautiful. I find writing about grief to be healing and hope others find healing, too.
Thank you for the beautiful tribute to our dads. My dad (your uncle Dee for your readers) found faith after his stroke. While not a trained writer, he had a talent for expressing himself through poetry as one of his outlets after his other joys were lost as you described. This is one that has a few parallels to the excerpt you posted from Henri Nouwen. In spite of his challenges he could find the joy between the troubles.
“THE BREATH OF GOD”
THE BREATH OF GOD HAS TOUCHED ME
HIS SPIRIT FILLS MY SOUL
THROUGH HIS GRACE I'VE FOUND REDEMPTION
BY HIS SON WHO PAID MY TOLL
ON THE CROSS HE TOOK MY BURDEN WITH HIS DEATH, HE BROUGHT ME LIFE HE FREED ME FROM THE GRASP OF SATAN WHO HELD ME LIKE A VISE
MY LIFE IS STILL A STRUGGLE AND AT TIMES I STILL FEEL WEAK, THEN I FEEL HIS LOVE SURROUND ME TO GIVE THE ANSWERS THAT I SEEK
EVEN DAYS, FILLED WITH DARKNESS, ANGER, PAIN, AND GRIEF BECOME LIGHT, AND JOYFUL
WHEN GODS BREATH BRINGS ME RELIEF
HIS BREATH IS ALWAYS PRESENT
EVERY WHERE I LOOK
HE'S THE GENTLE BREEZES IN THE LEAVES OR BUBBLES IN A BROOK
HE'S THE DRIVING FORCE OF IVAN HE IGNITES A SOLAR FLARE
HE'S THE FIRST BREATH, WE TAKE IN LIFE WITH OUR LAST BREATH HE IS THERE.
MY AWSOME GOD'S AMAZING
WITH ALL THE THINGS HE HAS TO DO HE STILL PLACES SUCH IMPORTANCE
ON SPENDING EACH DAY WITH ME AND YOU - Dee Krumwiede
This is so powerful, Kevin, thanks so much for sharing. What faith. Miss and love you all.
Thank you for sharing this… Grief is hard & can catch you off guard. One of the best analogies that helps me cope, is that grief is like being caught overboard at sea. The storms come strong & fast, tossing you about, clinging to a piece of driftwood… large waves crashing, feeling lost, torn & scared. Only to pass, offering the solace of quiet floating. The sun is warm & water cool, offering healing & peace from the heavy emotions. 🩵
Babette, this is so beautiful and I agree. The ebb and flow. Tug and release. Sending you all the love today.
“…Chicago suburbs and railroad tracks, of summer barbecues and the Beatles and short man-shorts with high white socks.”
I would have liked your Uncle Dee—certainly for his name. Thanks for the powerful share. My dad is recovering from a stroke in March and it’s been a grueling emotional journey to watch him try to come back to himself. 🙏
I'm so grateful that this letter touched you today. He was faithful and persevered, qualities I admire deeply.
The year anniversary of my ex who died fighting in Ukraine was the other week - I found myself surprised by the grief that came from that. But it also reminded me of how grief can provide inspiration to live more beautifully.
This is so true. So very true. Grief opens the heart, my mother once told me, and in it's place something new grows. Thank you for sharing and my heart goes out to you.
So sorry to hear about your losses, and those of the other people in your life.
Thank you for saying this. Grief lingers and it’s interesting how new loss cracks it open again.
Enjoyed the story and relate to the loss of my husband and brother 3 months apart. It was a while ago but still feels like yesterday. However my current grief is as a result of the loss of sight in my left eye. The tragedy is that this was due to negligence on the part of the surgeon that resulted in my eye building pressure and inflammation causing excruciating pain. The pressure damaged my optic nerve and loss of sight. Im still processing the trauma and really greaving at the moment. At the moment there is no solution as Doctor says nerves do not regenerate. Its a very sad moment for me.