15 Comments
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Tom Stewart's avatar

Betsy,

There are moments in life that arrive all at once, and this sounds like one of them.

I’m so sorry you’re walking through this with your brother and your parents.

Your image of the birds in the rain stayed with me… just continuing on, doing what needs to be done.

There’s something honest and grounding in that, and in the way you’re still writing through it.

I’m thinking of you this morning.

Michelle Collins Anderson's avatar

Oh, Betsy! My heart aches for you. Sending love and hoping that you continue to find glimmers of spring in this dark time. XOX

Rona Maynard's avatar

Thinking of you, Betsy.

Nan Tepper's avatar

Hi Betsy, thanks for the update, I was wondering how it was going for you and your family. Be gentle with you. And thank you for that wonderful plug for the slam. Looking forward to more. xo

Cynthia Newberry Martin's avatar

Thinking of you...

Jennifer Silva Redmond's avatar

Sending you light for insight, some patience and love, and lots of creativity. As to books, my latest book I rave about is Alta California by Nick Neely. Since this is Spark, I'll go ahead and attach yesterday's post—it has other SoCal books as well: https://editoronboard.substack.com/

Cindy Gilchrist's avatar

I thought you might need to read this today. I needed it.

Cindy Gilchrist's avatar

There was supposed to be a photo of the poem Ode by Zoe Higgins accompanying my comment. I will copy it here for you since the photo didn’t come through.

Ode

Here’s to everything undone today:

laundry left damp in the machine,

the relatives unrung, the kitchen

drawer not sorted; here’s to jeans

unpatched and buttons missing,

the dirty dishes, the novel

not yet started. To Christmas

cards unsent in March, to emails

marked unread. To friends unmet

and deadlines unaddressed;

to every item not crossed off the list;

to everything still left, ignored, put off:

it is enough.

—Zoe Higgins

Elizabeth Marro's avatar

Thank you, Cindy. That's lovely

beth Kennedy's avatar

that is a lot all at once, I am hoping for you all to get through this and as you described the weather with the snow, the layers of ice under and the onset of spring, life going on, it was reminding me of what you are all going through right now. sometimes you have to continue to go through the daily motions as things play out, when there is nothing you can do about them, as nature takes its course -

JUDY REEVES's avatar

Sending love in the rain, Betsy. Take care and yes, keep writing.

Jay's avatar

Betsy, sad to hear about your brother. Hang in there.

Judith Solberg's avatar

If you are in the Upper Valley, know that I am watching the same rain fall and thinking of you and your siblings. Sometimes we feel we can’t take any more softening, but I believe we have a core of iron. Take care of you, when you can, and reach out if you need an escape!

Kathy Branfield's avatar

I am so sorry to hear about your brother. Holding you and he rest of your family in prayer.

Merton, Andrew's avatar

What an awful time for you, Betsy. Again. So soon. Here's hoping your brother pulls through. Sending love.