Another beautiful post, Blanton. Thank you for continuing to give us a window into your extraordinary journey with the 4 and the 6. It was the greatest sadness to me that a knee injury kept me from being with your family on Thursday. I think of Nancy every day with love and gratitude.
Do you know John O'Donohue's beautiful book, To Bless the Space Between Us? Although the book contains blessings for many occasions, this is one of his most eloquent on the subject of death. It was sent to me by a beloved friend, one of Nancy's and my R-MWC classmates, and has meant the world to me.
From the blessing entitled "For the Dying":
May your spirit feel
The surge of true delight
When the veil of the visible
Is raised, and you glimpse again
The living faces
Of departed family and friends.
May there be some beautiful surprise
Waiting for you inside death,
Something you never knew or felt,
Which with one simple touch,
Absolves you of all loneliness and loss,
As you quicken within the embrace
For which your soul was eternally made.
May your heart be speechless
At the sight of the truth
Of all belief had hoped,
Your heart breathless
In the light and lightness
Where each and everything
Is at last its true self
Within that serene belonging
That dwells beside us
On the other side
Of what we see.
Blanton, you have a beautiful way of putting just the right words together during this difficult time. I wish I could have met you, yet I feel I have known you forever. Thank you for sharing the good and the bad of these past months. I can see Nancy smiling down at you with her wonderful loving smile and being so proud of you. God bless you and your family. Rest in Peace Nancy. Love to all
Blanton, you are a poet and have expressed so beautifully your love for your mother and family but allowed us to express our love for Nancy. She was SO amazing in her sparking friendship with ALBA and beyond. We thank your family for giving us a Magnificat today friend we will never forget.
Alas I met Ms. Blanton, you are one cool chick and your Jason is a sweetheart! I met so many of your friends, family and folks I had not seen in years and everyone I was introduced to had lovely stories to share about our Nancy. Love ya all and wish you the best always !!!