Monday, August 5, 2019

The Darkness Glimmering

Those who will not slip beneath the still surface 
on the well of grief 

Turning down through its black water 
to the place we cannot breathe 

will never know the source from which we drink, 
the secret water, cold and clear, 

nor find in the darkness glimmering 
the small round coins 
thrown by those who wished for something else. 
David Whyte, "The Well of Grief"

Today, we check in with heavy hearts, preparing to head south again to be with family and officiate an untimely memorial service. The second service in three weeks. On Friday, the wife (Annie) of Lindsay's cousin Curtis was killed by a cliff that collapsed on the beach in Encinitas, California. Annie was with her Mom and Aunt who were also killed. The service will be this Friday and we are making preparations for travel. We are asking for prayers for us (strength, wisdom, clarity, discernment, presence to grief in the face of this shocking & horrific blow) and for Lindsay's entire extended family (comfort, strength, holding, and resource to be able to move through this horror with needed support, one day at a time).

It was almost ten years ago to the day that we were with Annie and Curtis, and their extended family network, celebrating the joyous love and blessed union of these two long-time best friends in La Jolla on their wedding day. This life is a beautiful and terrifying journey. There is creation. There are deep wells of love and joy. And then there is the heart-and-soul-wrenching crucifixion that shatters our worlds, worse than even our darkest nightmares. Once again, we find ourselves at the tomb, punched to the gut, waiting for resurrection. Wishing we could see her face again.


3 comments:

  1. We are so very sorry to read this post. Sending you his love and comfort during the difficult times to come.

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  2. Thank you everyone. And everyone who has emailed, called, texted, sent videos, and held us and our family in prayer this past week. Yesterday (and the days leading up) was deep, rich, beautiful, powerful, HARD, full of SO MUCH unbelievable grief... and gratitude.... so so heartbreaking and sad...because the 3 women honored and mourned were nothing less than forces of nature. Leaving a huge void. And their families and communities of loved ones that surround them match their fierceness... and displayed incredible wells of love and connectedness and holding each other and bravery to speak from their broken hearts about the awe that was the lives of these women... it was thin space, holy space, sacred, unbearably and deeply/richly grief-filled. Tom and I were so honored, humbled, heartbroken, grateful to be a part of this incredible family/community's mourning process, and ability to hold each other in it. Thank you for supporting us to show up and hold space and play our part amidst unspeakable horror... and unbelievable wells of grace and strength and fierceness of love - in these women, in their family's and communities they continue to animate, bolster and hold from the other side...even as they have been taken away too soon.

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