DEAR ALY

 

Dear ALY,

We did it.  We celebrated you so beautifully 

we reached out in new ways

we came together as if we were NEW, open-hearted friends

we mourned in our own unique way

we  toured your favorite sites

we ate Generously shared meals as family  Communion

we swam  and dived into waters with abandon

we rode in planes and boats

we privately prayed and called out to the sky

we were reminded how indigenous we all are deep inside

we were uplifted by the mountains at your Memorial 

we got to know in new ways,  people we thought we once knew

we felt comfort in being together so that unbelievably challenging emotions could be supported

we slept in borrowed family beds with clean sheets

we suspended judgments of ourselves and others

we played in sand

we got to know better three generations of family

we attended auctions as a personal and unique way of being together in grief

we were healed and elated as one child sang a song and another said a  psalm at your memorial

we counseled each other privately 

we included elders and the young

we knew that the beauty and truth of the memorial would always be an incredibly  treasured memory of You

we talked machine talk as a comfortable way to re-bond

we cried , some inside, some outside

we suspended judgments of ourselves and others

we suspended judgments of ourselves and others

we celebrated you in your NEW Spirit Form

we learned Aly, we are always Students 

NOW:

YOU FLY ALY, FLY EASILY as we continue to Learn

In Art and Life,

Aunt Linda