Friday, June 23, 2017

Of dragonflies and tattoos

A little over a year ago a friend I had not seen in awhile lost her son. I didn't know it happened at the time but was able to figure it out based on Facebook posts. My heart hurt for her and her family. It is never easy to write a condolence note, even harder when the loss is sudden. Where do you start? 

I started with, “Life is random love is not.” It was the only thing I had and I was hoping there might be solace in the words. They continue to help me make sense of a world that is often confusing, they have connected me to be people in ways I wasn’t previously connected and at the end of the day, those words are comforting to me.

Social media has allowed me to watch my friend heal - she has been open about the process of both mourning and celebrating her son. And those words? It seems they found a home in her heart. And on her arm. Here’s to Nancy and her son and her family and the power of love.



LIFE IS RANDOM LOVE IS NOTTM



Friday, June 9, 2017

Now, go be like Pops

Walter died today
Son, brother, husband, father
Grandfather, uncle

He died at ninety
Dementia staked out his mind
Love still filled his heart

Proud of being a 
Kid from the Bronx, he moved
To the suburbs for love

And seven children
with Incomparable Joan.
Laughter filled their home.

First he taught then he
Principaled. Connecting with
students and teachers.

Always curious
Walter never missed a chance 
To question, to learn.

He  loved his family,
reading, history, puzzles
the Mets and Giants

He preached God is love 
and lived that philosophy 
every single day

So that's the story
A great man has passed away
Now, go be like Pops.



LIFE IS RANDOM LOVE IS NOTTM