We miss him don’t we? His consistently prescient musings on life-love-health-living. Healing. I’ve been meaning to write. I’m giving myself the space and grace NOT TO, but I have an overwhelming desire, NEED to continue to share, invite you in, like he did.  I know it’s been a bit.   A lot of people ask me, “HOW ARE YOU DOING?” So here it goes:

Probably as good as can be expected. I mean that.  To start with, I don’t think we could have ever asked for a more meaningful outpouring of pure joy for Bruce’s celebration/memorial/service (I’ve been known to call it all of those things!) With Bruce’s guidance, everyone involved gave everything they had to show the love and inspiration he injected into our lives. I learned so much about him that day! Duncan said to me, “It feels weird that it’s been such an amazing day.” Agreed!  I’m still incredibly grateful for the gift that day (and you all) gave us, that we gave each other. If you would like to watch/rewatch the celebration, here is the link. It’s about an hour. Warning- the part where we all sang Let It Be had to be edited out because of Beatles copyright policy (thanks a lot, Paul!) 

https://youtu.be/eVSL1LuGkKk?si=86x-ZXx_H_o0nk5w

Duncan and I have had a beautiful summer together. He was by my side nearly every day. 

A well-timed reorganization and severance offer at my company, Novartis, has enabled me to take, let’s just say, an “indefinite” amount of time off. And with Duncan just having graduated college, we’ve used the summer heal, focus on what may be next and to accept the enormous generosity of friends and family. We’ve joined vacations to Montana, (thanks, Kara & Kirsten!) travelled back and forth (and back and forth and back and forth!) to our chock-full-of-Bruce-memories family cottage in Canada, (thanks Mom & Dad!)  gotten back up on waterskis with Dilworth neighbors on Lake Norman (thanks, John!) and Duncan was able to take his postponed grad trip to Costa Rica (thanks graduation cash!)

So summer is over, Duncan has officially moved into his Manhattan apartment pursuing his interest in the music industry and I’m still taking advantage of the most gracious friends and family anyone could ask for (thanks Bruce!) Today, I’m in Paros, Greece after being scooped up for a beautifully beachy Greek island vacation (thanks Jim & James!) The lazy end-of-season pace and the familiarity of easy friends has been just the right Rx. Later today, I’ll catch a flight to join yet another friend in Istanbul for a little-less-lazy tour of Turkey (thanks, Sara!) And on the way home, I’ll get to see our “other son,”  Xabi, our darling Basque exchange student, during a short stopover in London.  

Obviously, I’ve taken the tack of staying busy. I guess that must be my coping mechanism: KEEP MOVING! …And also, being with people who love Bruce. I don’t think that will change , even if this pace slows down! 

So that’s how I’m doing. Are there days I don’t want to get out of bed? YES! Are there days that I don’t? Maybe. Are there more days that I do? Absolutely. 

I haven’t had the courage to watch the celebration again. But I’ve loved all of the texts and notes and memories and photos about Bruce from you. Thank you and keep them coming! To pull from the most helpful book on grief I’ve received, (thanks,  Nancy!)

“Keep the door to his life open”

—Edith Fogg Hickman 

Love to you all, 

Julie