Kate, I'm so very, very sorry for your loss. Good god, "Lost in Fukuoka" takes on such a heavy meaning in retrospect, but also, this paragraph is so stark and beautiful:
"The world rocks forward like leaves do, like they hang on by a tiny pinpoint through storms – until they can’t. At that point, they fall, albeit gracefully, to the earth. They reincarnate as the fuel of caterpillars or cherry blossoms or the animal whose leather makes the baseball mitt."
Dear Kathleen, I am so sorry for your loss. The love you wrote about will always be there holding the pieces together, growing stronger as time passes. If you ever need to talk to someone who went through the grief and made it on the other side, I’m here. ♥️
Oh Claudia, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Thank you for sharing and I'm so happy you feel you've made it on the other side. Let's stay in touch and speak a bit later x
As someone also left behind I had to wait till the tears stopped before I could type this. My deepest sympathies Kate and I'm sending you a virtual hug. This is a beautiful piece, it's like a haiku of elegies, and says so much. The hard part doesn't stop here and if you ever need to talk don't hesitate to let me know. This side of the world is only a keyboard away. 💔
Peter, I'm sorry to reignite the wound. I imagine the journey does get harder in some ways and really appreciate the offer to talk. It's a bit scary to think too far ahead right now. Thanks so much for being here and so supportive and honest.
Please do not apologise, I teared up in sympathy for you not for myself. One day at a time for the moment, there's nothing else, no formulas. Just as long as you have people around you to give you a hug; that can say and do so much. And when you can, start reading Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking if you haven't read it before, not so much for comfort but in seeing how another writer dealt with loss you'll feel your own way back into words. After all, they're the waves that carry you. 🤗
We are very sorry for your loss, Kathleen. And wishing you all the best during this process of grieving, transition, and just making sense of life through it all.
Love the Blackburn Being Good quotes. I gifted this book to an administrator in hopes they could make better sense of all the accreditation performativity schools go through. Not sure it carried much weight in that context. I am curious, what draws you to this book?
I picked up this book like 15 years ago maybe? Maybe longer? Just loved it right away. Always drawn to studies of ethics but this one is so simply true and pure. It’s a little book and I carry it to all the countries I live in.
Oh, dear Kate, I am so sorry for your loss. I can only say my heart is with you and your son, and thank you for this reminder of what is precious — and that, through art, something endures. I want to share this with you, it reminds me of the mystery. It’s from St John Chrysostom: “They whom we love and lose are no longer where they were before: they are now wherever we are"
Oh Kate, my heart breaks for you and your son. Your writing reveals such a depth of love — how lucky anyone is in this broken and beautiful world to find a companion with whom we spend our days "Being more than Becoming." Sending love and light across the oceans to you. 💙
I don't think there's any sufficient comment I can write other than to say I am here for you. We are all here for you.
Thinking of you. Sending much love.
Thank you, friend. It helps.
Kate, I'm so very, very sorry for your loss. Good god, "Lost in Fukuoka" takes on such a heavy meaning in retrospect, but also, this paragraph is so stark and beautiful:
"The world rocks forward like leaves do, like they hang on by a tiny pinpoint through storms – until they can’t. At that point, they fall, albeit gracefully, to the earth. They reincarnate as the fuel of caterpillars or cherry blossoms or the animal whose leather makes the baseball mitt."
I'm in awe of how prescient that post is.
Sending lots of love to you and your son. 💙
Thank you, Troy 💜 Feeling the love.
It kind of blew my mind when I read those exact sentences again the next day. Completely surreal that they came from me and appeared at that moment.
Dear Kathleen, I am so sorry for your loss. The love you wrote about will always be there holding the pieces together, growing stronger as time passes. If you ever need to talk to someone who went through the grief and made it on the other side, I’m here. ♥️
Oh Claudia, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Thank you for sharing and I'm so happy you feel you've made it on the other side. Let's stay in touch and speak a bit later x
touching
This is unspeakably brave and beautiful Kate, you must both be holding a heavy sadness...
I am so sorry for you both.
Thanks for the kind comment, Susie.
As someone also left behind I had to wait till the tears stopped before I could type this. My deepest sympathies Kate and I'm sending you a virtual hug. This is a beautiful piece, it's like a haiku of elegies, and says so much. The hard part doesn't stop here and if you ever need to talk don't hesitate to let me know. This side of the world is only a keyboard away. 💔
Peter, I'm sorry to reignite the wound. I imagine the journey does get harder in some ways and really appreciate the offer to talk. It's a bit scary to think too far ahead right now. Thanks so much for being here and so supportive and honest.
Please do not apologise, I teared up in sympathy for you not for myself. One day at a time for the moment, there's nothing else, no formulas. Just as long as you have people around you to give you a hug; that can say and do so much. And when you can, start reading Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking if you haven't read it before, not so much for comfort but in seeing how another writer dealt with loss you'll feel your own way back into words. After all, they're the waves that carry you. 🤗
Words… there are none. But we’re here, Kate. We’re here for you.
Thank you, my friend.
Billy Collins, toward the end of his poem "Death Beds," remarks
...I would expect just at the end
a moment of pure awareness
I hope for him that it was true.
That's beautiful, Thomas. Thank you for that.
Kate, this is absolutely beautiful. I am so so sorry for your loss (which feels trite and lacking, but is sent with truth and feeling) ❤️
Thank you, Claire 💜 Never lacking coming from you...every piece of kindness helps x
❤️
💔
Beautiful words my friend x
❤️
Thinking of you, Kate, and sending you an enormous amount of love.
Angela! Thank you, lovely. Good to hear from you and this helps.
We are very sorry for your loss, Kathleen. And wishing you all the best during this process of grieving, transition, and just making sense of life through it all.
Love the Blackburn Being Good quotes. I gifted this book to an administrator in hopes they could make better sense of all the accreditation performativity schools go through. Not sure it carried much weight in that context. I am curious, what draws you to this book?
Thanks so much, Jamie. Appreciate the kind words.
I picked up this book like 15 years ago maybe? Maybe longer? Just loved it right away. Always drawn to studies of ethics but this one is so simply true and pure. It’s a little book and I carry it to all the countries I live in.
Ps congrats 💙
Oh, dear Kate, I am so sorry for your loss. I can only say my heart is with you and your son, and thank you for this reminder of what is precious — and that, through art, something endures. I want to share this with you, it reminds me of the mystery. It’s from St John Chrysostom: “They whom we love and lose are no longer where they were before: they are now wherever we are"
Julie, I love that concept so much and I think it’s true. Thank you, my friend.
Oh Kate, my heart breaks for you and your son. Your writing reveals such a depth of love — how lucky anyone is in this broken and beautiful world to find a companion with whom we spend our days "Being more than Becoming." Sending love and light across the oceans to you. 💙
Thank you for such a beautiful comment, Michael 💙
Ps my brother from St Paul is arriving in a few hours to help us and I always think of you there when I think of him there :)
Awww, I love that so much. 💙
Dear Kate, I kept reading the first few sentences because I thought - I hoped - I had misunderstood your words. A big hug to you and your son.
Your comment is like how I feel now — I keep going over and over somethings until I see yes that’s what it is.
Thank you, Gianni. Well received 🩵
So sorry for your loss, Kate. And thank you for sharing the words that formed out of this moment. ❤️
Thank you, friend.