They say such things come in threes. Good. Bad. Those events that snag our attention and hold on with clutching claws, usually around our heart. My ancestors, the Welsh (Celts) had this down to a fine art, and I suppose that still echoes around us. Sometimes we embrace them. Sometimes we wish they would simply stop. But, like life, there’s only one ultimate stopping place.
So, for three weeks in a row, I’ve been to a funeral of a beloved friend. Jason. Bill. Now Sneed. One of the “fathers” of our church, he was one of the gentlest, wisest, most talented men my path has ever crossed. So loved that we draped his choir chair with his robe and will retire it, turning it over to his wife of 63 years. I couldn't stop crying.
I hope that it’s only three. This weekend, I will be spending time with my mom, who has decided to move to assisted living. She’s emptying the house and preparing it for market. Every couple of days I get a call asking me if I want something out of the house. This week it was my high school graduation gown.
Oh. My. These are, indeed, cherished possessions, but I have a small house and no heirs. It appears this is going to be “going away” time in my life. In some ways I will be embracing it. In others . . .