Death in the family

There is the death of someone close, immediate family, the pain, the heartbreak, the numbness, grief and slow, slow recovery.

Then there is the death of a sort of distant relative - someone that you haven't been in touch with for years for whatever reason. And yet family is important. And in this case, I was the one whose name they had and who they Googled to find.

First of all, the church has come through like only the church can - and is able. For that I am grateful.

And slowly the stories have come out. There is another cousin. He and I are in the story telling mood and so cyberspace is full of emails. There are estranged sons and an ex-wife, and yet we have had the conversations and they have been in touch with the pastor. There is the friend, almost like a grand-daughter, who has cared and searched and found us because this cousin was important to her. There will be a nice service, filled with grace and gentleness.

And there are memories - not just of him, but also of our parents, aunts and uncles, reminders that family can stretch beyond the immediacy of home, back in time, the time and space of the heart. With gratitude and blessings for family - whoever, whenever, wherever with grace ~