I'm so sorry for you loss, @agmoore. You are quiet as a church mouse about these things. But you endure. You carry on. And your life experiences, your losses and your amazing mind emerge in your writing. You do have an incredible gift with words, and you use it well. Writing offers a way to take the most angst-ridden, grief-causing stuff life sends our way, and turn it into art. Incredible.
All that said, losing family members is horrible. I'm just so sorry. I wish you were nearby, and we could just sit and chat over coffee, and you could tell me about your brother and what he was like in his younger days, before his dementia. I hope those memories remain strong. May your brother rest in peace.
Thank you, @jayna. I'm grateful I can usually express myself through writing. It is imperfect, but works much better for me than conversation. I can stop and think when I write, Do I really mean to say that? When I talk, there is not as much control. I tend to blurt out what comes to mind and that can be very inconvenient.
My sister-in-law asked me to write the obituary. That was a great gift. At least I participated in a way that mattered to her, and that allowed me to process my thoughts. She knows my heart and trusts its intention.
Thank you for your heartfelt words. I read them before going to sleep. We did have coffee, virtually, and afterwards I had a sense of peace--and gratitude.
♥️