Gaps

Gaps

When a dear one dies or when a 

good friend goes away - it leaves

a gap in life

that's wide and deep.

A gap that you are conscious of

with every passing day,

A gap remembered

when you wake from

sleep.

But it is the gaps that make the 

pattern in the lace - the sudden

break in continuity ....

Here and there you have 

to have a blank,

an empty space - to make the

strange and beautiful 

design of destiny.

                                                   Patience Strong

Today I remember fondly and celebrate the life of a childhood friend's dear mother!  Our families

lived in the same neighbourhood, had almost the same number of children with similar ages. We all became very good friends and our mothers, although very different (mine Amish Mennonite and hers Roman Catholic), were good mothers, kind mothers, nurturing mothers, loving mothers, and raised us up the best they could. 

What a privilege it was growing up in that 'hood where we felt safe and protected, where we played, rode our bikes, walked to school together, spent endless summers in the park and on the farm, learned to skate on the village pond, helped each other with chores, had paper routes, had parents that loved us, and felt like we belonged!

In our parent's senior years we would meet each other once again on visits to the "home" in New Hamburg where both sets of parents were being cared for. It brought back many childhood memories and was such fun to reminisce.

Miriam Zettel, a wonderful caring mother and almost like a second mom to me!  You have left a huge gap, have made the lace ever so beautiful and will be missed by all!

Theresa, Liz, Charles, Michael, Peter and Tom - may you and your families be comforted during this time of great loss!