Facing the Unknown

We are facing something unknown in our household. The impending loss of a loved one. Eddy's dad is so very sick. He has metastatic lung cancer, is already at an advanced age and his mind is fading so fast.

Needless to say, we are beyond devastated. The tears just keep flowing. We feel so helpless, since we don't know when only that it won't be too long. Maybe 6 months? Maybe a year.

I had e-mailed my sister (who I made the butterfly for) since today is her birthday and she sent me the following poem from Henry Van Dyke which I will now post and share with all of you. It made me cry like crazy, but also gave me a sense of peace.


GONE FROM MY SIGHT -- Henry Van Dyke

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side
spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and
starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty
and strength. I stand and watch her until at length
she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where
the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in
mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and
she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her
destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the
moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"

And that is dying.

Thank you so much...all of you...who are keeping Eddy's dad (and all of us) in your thoughts, prayers or whatever you subscribe to. It is appreciated so much more than I could ever express in words.


All my best,