Dear Terry and Barb, although we've never met either, I've mentioned that all of us are like family, and as such, feel that the loss for one is a loss for all. when my Mom passed this February, the day I saw her last we talked about all this, the new adventure she was undertaking, much like the Dr. Seuss book for graduates, "The Places You'll Go!". My mom loved adventures, and the places we went were some of the greatest memories I have growing up. Anyway, we had discussed this following passage many times in the past, and she liked the entire concept, it is one that reshaped my views on all of our experiences. I sibncerely hope I'm not presumptuous in passing this along to you, that you know it's my heartfelt feeling for everything you're going thru at this time. be well, brother, my best to Barb, and best regards for her onto her next adventure.

Apparently asked by a parishioner to a Bishop, date and exact credit I am unable to give.

What is dying like, Father?
After considerable thought, he responds:

“I am standing on quay by the sea shore.
A ship at dock raises her sails to the morning breeze
There are passengers crowding on her deck, anxious, yet excited about the coming voyage,
They are waving gaily. Those remaining on shore
are waving as such, with pennants waving and balloons flying.

It is time. The sails fill, the ship begins to moves, and she gradually slips
from her berth, her bow proudly pointed towards another destination.

She is an object of beauty,
and I stand watching her,
till at last she fades
on the horizon, until her mainsail pennant drops completely out of sight,
and someone at my side says quietly,
‘She is gone.’


I turn to look at them and say, "Gone? Gone, where?"

For in reality, she is only gone from my sight. That is all.

She is just as large in the masts, hull and spars
as she was when I last saw her,
and just as able to bear her load of living
freight to its destination.
The diminished size and total loss of sight is solely in me,
not in her.

And just at that moment, when someone at my side says, with great sadness,
'she is gone’, there are crowds of others, on the opposite shore who are waiting patiently.

Suddenly one sees her masts appear over the horizon, and with wide eyes of surprise
and pleasure, watch her reveal herself completely, as she comes ever closer.


The throngs on this foreign dock see her now, the excitement builds, and they take up a glad shout--


‘There she comes!’ She’s almost here!” I can't wait to see her! With pennants waving, balloons flying, they joyfully welcome the coming ship
and her precious cargo.

The ship docks, her cargo released to the waiting crowds, and they all embrace each other in love and welcome for arriving safely after such a long voyage. They turn from the quay and move off to wherever they will find rest and reacquaintance.