By way of an update, I report that Mom is still with us. We celebrated her 100th birthday in February, and I was there again with her last month, as she is failing badly recently. My contact with her continues to exist through daily phone calls, but these are increasingly short, and difficult. I’m dependent upon Ron being there to answer the phone, for she lacks the strength to pick up the receiver. He holds the phone to her ear, as she is now in bed most days.
Due to her pain and increasing tiredness, she doesn’t always answer back. Or she’ll come up with a one-liner like “Spill it” which opens up the occasion just like in the old days to tell her what I’m up to, or what’s going on in my mind. I called her from the Paris Opera two nights ago, and she enjoys the excitement. She was always a good listener.
My wonderful friend Eduardo posted this extraordinary prayer the other day, and it’s a good thing, for John Donne had been off my radar for a while, although I used to know several of his Sonnets by heart. I read this to Mom last night, and we both savored every word:
“Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house
and gate of heav’n: to enter into that gate and dwell in that
house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one
equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears
nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings,
but one equal eternity; in the habitation of thy glory and
dominion, world without end. Amen.”
~John Donne
The candles here have little to do with the Advent season, I just needed tonight to rekindle some light and joy, and possibly some optimism which I hope to share with you.