Nineteen years ago my father died as a result of a traffic accident in Spain where he lived:
This poem and the following hymn came to me on the day of his funeral. I read and sang impromptu at his funeral where there was no other family member apart from myself and daughter:
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.
1932 by Mary Elizabeth Frye
HYMN
Peace is flowing like a river,
Flowing out through you and me;
Flowing out into the desert,
Setting all the captives free.
with extra verses beginning with:
Joy is flowing like a river, ...
Faith is flowing like a river, ...
Hope is flowing like a river, ...
Love is flowing like a river, ...
It was a significant moment in my life.
My sister chose not to come to Spain as planned, did not share the inheritance and terminated all contact with me. So my niece and nephew were deprived of growing up with their cousins. Shame!
I often wonder if I will ever see her again and much more.
So sorry to hear about your dad. You obviously miss him and that's made worse by losing your sister for another reason at the same time.
ReplyDeleteFamily rifts are so painful and sad. Ours have their fair share of them. Amongst my father's 8 siblings four haven't spoken to the others for 30 years over a disagreement about something long since forgotten, but nobody seems to know how to start to make it up. At my parents' Golden Wedding party we had to sit the two halves on different tables or they were refusing to come!
In Nick's family a similar situation is brewing. It could all be resolved so easily but neither side wants to lose face.
It is as you say, a shame.