More present
One of Jeff’s last gifts to Drew and his family was a membership to the
Chattahoochee Nature Center. Here they are, on their first visit after Jeff’s death.
November 2016
He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man. — Antoine de Saint-Exupery
At times the pain of missing Jeff stabs me with a grief so severe and sudden that I wonder how I will survive without him. More often, though, I feel through the sorrow the reassuring stability that was his first and greatest gift to me. It’s true that he is still present with me, every day, there in my mind and in my heart, as if he never left.
It’s not so different, in a way, from the bond I feel with many of you. We may have seen each other seldom, or only once, or not at all, except in imagination stretching across a bridge of words. Yet I feel secure in knowing we think of each other with support and affection, and are not alone. Thanks for being here, where it’s not always easy, but hopefully, it’s always safe, and kind, and real.
This post was first published seven years ago today. The original post, comments and photo are linked, along with two other related posts, below. These links to related posts, and their thumbnail photos, do not appear in the blog feed; they are only visible when viewing the individual posts by clicking on each one. I have no idea why, nor do I know how they choose the related posts. That’s just the way WordPress does things.
- Posted in: Uncategorized
- Tagged: consolation, death, eternity, faith, grief, hope, life, love, presence, remembrance, solace, strength
Defeat Despair 
Good morning, Julia!
Thank heavens for the words that bridge us together!
Love to you and Matt, and prayers for you both.
Thank you, Susan. I so appreciate your YEARS of steadfast presence and encouragement, both here and in person! ❤
I loved this Quote. It will be 8 years next month when Neil left me. You’re so right, they never really leave, always in our hearts. Dorothy
Dorothy, you and I are in almost exactly the same place on this journey. So it’s a comfort to know you understand. Recently, I read a great quote by the author Julian Barnes, in his memoir of his own grief at losing his wife in 2008, and why he has never remarried. I may not get the words exactly right, but it was something like “Just because someone dies does not mean they cease to exist.” Though he is agnostic, he clearly understands this powerful truth. Thanks for understanding what so few of my peers know at this point, but someday will find out.