We carry only Love

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St. Patrick lived on an island, the green island, Eire. He wasn’t from there. He came as a slave long before he became a Bishop and then a saint.

Today, the day of his death many centuries ago, is the day we celebrate his life with parades and wearing green and drinking green beer and dancing Irish jigs.

It is also the date of the death of my brother, George, and his wife Roz. They died, sixteen years ago on a long stretch of road that lay like a grey ribbon bisecting the snow-covered prairies on either side of their car as they drove away from their daughters into a destiny they could not imagine. Theirs was a fiery death. Small vehicle meets huge transport truck. The driver of the semi came away unscathed. At least physically. I don’t know about emotionally or mentally. I’m sure it was catastrophic to him. To witness this tiny compact car bearing down on his front end. To be helpless to avoid the collision that took the lives of two people he’d never met. Did he have nightmares after the accident? Did he wonder what he could have done differently? Does he still drive a semi?

It was so unexpected. Inexplicable. Such a loss. Was it a miscalculation? A momentary loss of attention or a desperate attempt to calm the turmoil and chaos that was unfolding around them?

We will never know.

What we do know is that we loved them. They were our family. They will always live in our hearts.

Rest in peace George and Roz. May you know it is only love you have left behind. Only love we carry for you in our hearts.

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I awoke on Thursday morning with the words to a poem writing themselves in my head as my dream slipped from memory. This morning, it happened the same way. Both are about my brother.  It makes sense. He’s always on my mind at this time of year.

Did You Know?       and     And Now You’re Gone

 

13 thoughts on “We carry only Love”

  1. So sorry for your loss! As always… we need another button rather than LIKE to indicate that we appreciate what you shared but LIKE just seems so inapproptiate. Though your writing is as always stellar! Thank you for sharing. Today is my mother in law’s birthday. But I know the pain. My cousin’s dad’s family was wiped out on a road trip on their way to Thanksgiving to their house. So many sad memories that land on holidays that we can’t forget. And then there are just those random days… my dad died on July 9th. No real holiday and yet I will always remember. My kids’ dad died on his birthday, August 30th. I have heard stories like that too many times.
    My heart is heavy for you as you remember today. God bless you.

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  4. Louise, I’m so sorry for your loss. I love my brother so much and I can’t imagine losing him. Also, I’m so touched by your compassion for the truck driver. The fact that you take a minute to reflect on how he must have felt is a poignant illustration of your love for all humanity in spite of horrific personal loss.
    xo
    Diana

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  6. Both poems have so many good lines. I hate that they are born from tragedy, but that’s so often how it goes, isn’t it?

    It’s hard when personal anniversaries intersect with holidays. Sending you a hug today. And how about a little green tea?

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  8. As always, your words show us the gift of transformation through all things… pain, suffering, grief, joy, life. Thank you for sharing your beautiful soul.

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  11. I am so sorry to hear that you lost your brother and his wife so suddenly in such a tragic way. No matter how many years go by…the memory lingers on.
    I am so glad that you have only happy thoughts of love in that memory.
    My thoughts with you today

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