Friday 28 August 2009

Grateful No. 2














Thank you all for your love and compassion. Thank you all for your words. I am grateful now and I always will be.

The following was written by A. Powell Davies:

When sorrow comes, let us accept it simply, as a part of life.
Let the heart be open to pain; let it be stretched by it.
All the evidence we have says that this is the better way.
An open heart never grows bitter.
Or if it does, it cannot remain so.

In the desolate hour, there is an outcry; a clenching of the hands upon emptiness; a burning pain of bereavement; a weary ache of loss.

But anguish, like ecstasy, is not forever.
There comes a gentleness, a returning quietness, a restoring stillness.
This, too, is a door to life.

Here, also, is a deepening of meaning – and it can lead to dedication; a going forward to the triumph of the soul, the conquering of the wilderness. And in the process will come a deepening inward knowledge that in the final reckoning, all is well.

71 comments:

Art by Darla Kay said...

Oh, that's so beautiful Renee!
Prayers and hugs to you all,
Love, Darla

Michelle said...

Big giant hugs for you

xxxx

Beth said...

Hi Renee, I was so sorry to read about Sheldon. I do believe his grampa will help him across when its time. You and your family are going through so much, you are in my thougts.

Marion said...

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.....Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

Sending you love, prayers and blessings, dearest Renee....

Silke Powers said...

Oh, Renee, I love those words and will same them for the time sorrow visits me again. And in the meantime, I am happy that you have the strength you have as your family is visited by so much heartbreak! I send you all my love! Silke

A.Smith said...

The Universe is unfolding as it should, and we must learn to adapt to sudden changes, often so painful that our being rebels against the intrusion, the violation, the undeclared war that without warning often takes away all that once was.

I am grateful for you, for your wisdom and for Sheldon and his courage, for his faith and his convictions, for understanding at such a young age that we are noble creatures at the core, who often forget from where we come and where we are going in the process of existing in the here and now. He hasn't. I am too grateful for Jacquie because the apple never falls far from the tree.

To tell you that you have my unconditional love and friendship is redundant and unneeded. To tell them that I love them because of you and because of the portraits you so lovingly have posted of who and what they are in this world would be perhaps best understood by all who share this, your home.

I want to say that there will time for tears, right now I want to do my best to fill the space with hope and memories, laughter and poetry, music and peace, compassion and above all, love. I wish from my heart for Sheldon to take with him the best everyone has to offer to keep him company until he reaches port. Then we shall see what is left to share among ourselves. I love you Renee, I wish I could say this to you in person while hugging you tight and comforting you.

mermaid said...

Beautiful process. Was the author Native American, or just the picture?

I'm sorry about Sheldon. There are no words to dscribe that type of pain, except to be open to the process if possible. Each person experiences this differently, and how each person handles it is sacred, regardless of how open he/she is.

GlorV1 said...

I definitely love that painting and those words from A. Powell Davies are ever so deep and true. I hope you are doing okay Renee and your sister and rest of your family. I've been a little tired lately so I started taking some B12 again and also vitamins. I hope you have a great weekend. Take care.

Baino said...

Beautiful poem honey. And if we can't offer our good wishes and virtual support what good are we. Look after yourself. Hugs from Hells.

Marie S said...

I Love you!!

YayaOrchid said...

What a beautiful writing, Renee! And the photo relays the writing to perfection. Thank you for sharing this with us your readers! Sending love and prayers!

@eloh said...

Very beautiful words. Peace Renee

soulbrush said...

don't thank us dear renee, we thank you and your dear family for teaching us a few very important lessons. look after your own health dear girl at this precarious time. xxx

Rosaria Williams said...

Beautiful words.

Sarah Sullivan said...

Oh hon that was beautiful. Am walking with you and sending you gentle hugs. Love you Renee, Sarah

yoborobo said...

A beautiful poem, Renee. This touched me:

"And in the process will come a deepening inward knowledge that in the final reckoning, all is well"

I believe that. It will all be well.
Love to you, and especially to Sheldon tonight. He is in my prayers and in my heart. xoxox Pam

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful saying from a very enlightened man.

You and your family have become mine... and they will always be with me....

Love~Pattee

Sue said...

A. Powell Davies was indeed a wise and enlightened man. His writing is beautiful. I googled him and was surprised to find out that he was not Native American.

Renee, we, your friends here in blogland, only wish we could do more for you, Sheldon and Jacqui....posting a few words in "comments" seems so insignificant. If our words bring you a couple of minutes of comfort that is good - it just does not seem to be enough.

We love you.

ceecee said...

I send you love on this Friday night.
Catherine xxxx

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

That's it. That's all. Nothing else to say than what is said in your text.

Deborah said...

Beautiful truth. You always speak truth, Renee. We laid Hubby's Mom to rest today. In my heart, his tears earned great respect. I am tired. I feel thin, as in spread too thin. I think of how weary you must be, and Jacquie and Sheldon and I decide tomorrow I shall be fierce. Sending you all my love, Deb

angela recada said...

So beautiful, dear heart. Thank you.

I love you.
xoxoxo
Angela

Draffin Bears said...

Sending my love and prayers to all your Family, dear Renee.
They are lovely words you shared and may you find strength and comfort.

Hugs
Carolyn

Kolleen said...

so perfectly said....lots of hugs and kisses comin your way! xoxoxo

Elizabeth said...

So, so beautiful. You are a wonder to share it with us.

Marie Rayner said...

Beautiful prayer Renee and I have just finished reading about Sheldon as well. My heart and prayers go out to you all. (((hugs))) I have not been a very good blog reader these past few weeks. I haven't been feeling really well myself. NO excuse I know, but you have been much on my mind and so I stopped by today to let you know. xxoo

Delwyn said...

Renee

I send you love and prayer for you and your family today...

Happy days

Arija said...

What wise words Renee.
As far as I am concerned, acceptance is the best doctor, it gives one a quiet heart and from a centre of peace only love flows out.

Bless you all, love, Arija.

Mim said...

This is a beautiful poem = and one that I will keep around for tough times.
Please be good to you too Renee - and much love and prayers coming your way.

Manon said...

So very beautiful Renee!
You are always in my thoughts and prayers. I'm sending you all my love!

hugs,
manon
xoxox

Willnnabel said...

My God REnee, my heart breaks again and again, for you, for Sheldon, and Jacquie. What words can I say for you? Yet I pray. It seems to deaf ears. I have just returned from laying my brother to rest to read this most sorrowful news and again my heart feels more pain.
May God be merciful and relieve the pain. I wish it was within my power to help, I offer my prayers and support. Your nephew is so brave.

Ces Adorio said...

My dearest friend Renee:

I think of you and your family everyday. I pray and pray. I know my prayer is only coming from one person but I believe in its power and although I may not get the answer I desire, the answer always makes sense. Comfort and peace. Both for your soul and heart and then there's Sheldon and Jacquie. I just spin my invisible prayer wheel faster as I close my eyes.

I have a request for you. This is an instruction. I know how much you love to blog and blogging gives you comfort, a form of expression and you will find love within these comment section of yours. A lot of people truly love you. It is so obvious.

Here is my request. I will come here everyday and type with my splinted wrists, it is my daily visit, BUT you are not to reply to my comments by visiting my blog out of courtesy. We are friends. You are my sisterfriend. That takes a lot of time away from your priorities. Let replying to my blog comments NOT be a priority. Spend the time with yourself and your family. You are a truly a special human being. God put you on this earth for a very noble purpose and I thank you and am grateful for you. You are a true sister-friend. I love you very much.

studio lolo said...

Such truth and beauty in the words and the image.

I'm sitting by an open window listening to the summer rain as I read this. It just seems right. Stillness.

Sending love to all of you. I learn and grow from your posts every day.

love,
Laurel

Ces Adorio said...

WTH!!! You did exactly the opposite! ARRRRGH!

No! That is an old drawing with a new spin.
No! I never thought you did that out of courtesy.
No! It's my way of saying good morning to you.

Arrgh! I got the opposite effect.

Yes, I love you.

Unseen India Tours said...

Very well written true words..I loved this post..Great..Thanks for sharing..Unseen Rajasthan

Caroline said...

Dear Renee

I was numbed by your devastating news yesterday. As ever I am in awe of your own family's strength and faith. Thank God you are all together there, supporting each other. I keep you in my thoughts and send love. Caroline x0x

Deb L. said...

I have come to your blog by chance but want to send loving thoughts and prayers to you and strength for your journey. xo Deb

Brighid said...

What can I say that hasn't been already said Much more elloquently than I could have said it.
Blessed be, we're all here for you.

kj said...

renee, i heard this yesterday from a man named parker palmer. it is in my words, not his:

your heart has to break to really grow. and there are two ways it can break. the first is it explodes in shards--pieces all over the place that you spend years trying to pick up those pieces and put your heart back together.

or you can see the split in your heart and recognize that it has opened and expanded--that in time you will be able to fill it with more and more love.

it's clear which of these two alternatives you and your blog choose. my loss is so tiny compared to yours, and yet your words always affirm that i have a choice

love always, renee,
kj

A.Smith said...

Good morning darling. Thinking of you and just stopping by to see you before I go to an appointment. I need to talk to you about some idea I have that I need your feedback for. I will talk to you later. Take care of yourself, I love you.

Lisa said...

Really beautiful. I had never read that. Thank you for sharing it and for just being you.

cat said...

Any loss for us here still breathing is just too painful for words. My prayers for you all.

I am pleased
for my husband
blurring
back into the spaces
I cannot see.

But don't pray me
to find joy
that he is not
breathing
with me.

yoborobo said...

Renee - just stopping by to say I hope you are getting some rest. It must be nearly impossible with everything going on. Love to you, my friend - you are all in my prayers. xoxox Pam

Bella Sinclair said...

I breathe in sorrow. I breathe it in deeply and let it fill my lungs and my heart and my gut. And then I exhale it all out.

You are beautiful, and I love you.

xoxoxox

Annie said...

So beautiful and true and wise. You, Renee are one in a million.
Love and hugs. xoxo

Jeanne Estridge said...

"Death, be not proud, though some have called you 'mighty' and 'dreadful' for thou art not so...."

Anonymous said...

Hey Girlie! What's up? Hope your well these days. Can I tickled your funny bone or pull your finger? HAHA!!

Big squeezes and breezes to you!

-Mad

Anonymous said...

& I have definitely become another follower of your Blog! Great blog Renee... Keep it up! :)

Marie S said...

Sending love and healing thoughts your way.
I pray for you and Jacquie and Sheldon everyday, hard.

Ces Adorio said...

Back at you a hundredfold and many times over.

Chrisy said...

Hey darlin, This is a magnificent poem...thank you for sharing it with us...take care of yourself as much as possible...and my love to you all.

A.Smith said...

Good night darling, I hope you get a good night sleep filled with restful dreams and that tomorrow you will take care of yourself as I hope you would. Love from here, as always.

~Babs said...

Beautiful words.
Myself, I have no words, nothing that could add anything more to what's already been said.
But I am still here,still praying, His will be done.(for you and yours) Only He knows the greater good; our best.

A.Smith said...

Don't forget to check your mail if you want to find out what am I cooking. Now really goodnight, darling.

Strawberry Girl said...

I love you Renee, I am praying for you!

Clarity said...

Dear Renee,

Thank you for your sweet words, dear. I believe your heart IS golden, perhaps someday you will too.

If there is anything I can do, as per my earlier offer or anything else please let me know. This beautiful passage you have gifted us with is bookmarked, love, your friend, xxx.

kj said...

dear renee,

i have a plate of leftovers for you from #9, actually two plates because there was so much great food. i could stop by late this morning. i'll yell out the back door to see what you're doing. i think lolo might be around today too. do you like seafood? plenty plenty of that....

Unknown said...

This is truly beautiful, Renee!
Lots of love and a BIG hug,
Sanda xx

Woman in a Window said...

And this is why there is such beauty to you. and this is why that gone for a week, left of this country and travelling long roads I carried you with me even then. Did you see? Did you see the beauty of hills that I thought of you in? Did you hear the whisper of a stirring faith in my chest?
xo
erin

soulbrush said...

oh renee, hw can you be so positive? how can you still see the world as something good? i am fully in awe over this and over you. give me love to eveyone, and I am doing a little drawing for sheldon...xxx

Silver said...

sending you my sweet thoughts and love. That's so much courage in admist the pain and suffering..

huggies-
Silver

Lori ann said...

grateful to know you.

Unknown said...

Beautiful words Renee, Thank you for sharing them. Thank you for opening your heart to us all so that we can become better people by sharing in your joy and pain... you are 1 in a million xxxx

Cheryl Cato said...

Renee, these are the loveliest words I have ever read that deal with loss. Thank you for sharing this with us. I keep you all in my thoughts.
Lizzy

LDWatkins said...

Thank you for those words. I send you love and hugs across the miles. Lynda

yoborobo said...

Renee - love you, girl. Sending you strength. xoxoxoxoxo Pam

Jacinta said...

I am grateful for you too. You are often in my thoughts. Lots of love to you Renee. Take care.

TheChicGeek said...

That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing it. It touched me so greatly...thank you, thank you, thank you.
xox

A.Smith said...

Why should it be that the content is less important than the vessel? I am with you, there are chihuahuas and St Bernards someone said. Well, they are "inni" people and "outi" people.
I am an inni. Sending you a big inni hugs with love.

rochambeau said...

Ooh YES!
Thank you Renee for sharing this.
I do believe this is true.
Love,
Constance

Sandy said...

Renee,

I think this is one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever read. I have been forwarding it on to people that are in the process of grieving and they all agree that it's very comforting. Thanks so much for posting this.

Huge hugs,

Sandy