December 19, 2008
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The Daily News
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
—traditional Gaelic blessing1 Beautiful thoughts.
2 That little piece came to me via an e-mail from the always wonderful Cindy Barrett, whose Dad passed away this week.
3 Some nice things, all moving at a time when everybody needs to be moved.
4 Thanks Cindy, and God bless you and your family. I hope in many ways that this Christmas becomes the most spirtual and wonderful of them all. I think you get that, because in the process of all the absurdity, the true meaning of holding fast to everybody you love comes through loud and clear. And thank goodness we have one another, and all of our memories of people and things that went before.
5 I truly wish I could be up there with you this weekend.
6 For those friends of Cindy, the services for her Daddy are this Saturday at 2 p.m. in Lakeport, California, 1625 High St. The reception and celebration of her Dad’s inspiration will be held at her mom’s house, located at 855 Jerry Dr., Lakeport at around 3:15. Lovely area, and a perfect peace for the family. And if I may, a very beautiful family indeed.
5 I found all this out because my Mom is back in the hospital. I wrote Cindy and told her I probably wouldn’t make it because my Mom had blood clots on her lungs and all sorts of other horrid things going on right now.
6 And yet…I visited her yesterday and she was stronger and more postive than ever. She has a broken hip and a broken thigh bone, as well as all the blood clots and things.
7 You wouldn’t know it, I swear. She was vivacious, brilliant and fun yesterday. I felt like I was a kid still asking for advice, which she readily dealt.
8 Cindy’s thoughts and prayers really made me think of how utterly delicate all of this truly is.
9 God’s masterpiece.
10 Anyway, with all that has gone on this year, I feel amazingly blessed to have all the people I know and love still here, living life, and hopefully, loving life.
11 The past year struck me as borderline unbearable; all sorts of terrible things happened to many people I know and love.
12 Absolute Truth: Almost to a person I saw people fight through all of it and emerge stronger. I speak of everyone out there: excellent job.
13 I’m inspired by y’all. To Cindy and family: we are right there with you, and we love you.
14 As this miraculous season closes in on us, bundle up; slip some soup into your head; shop ’til you drop, and see all of it as a release, as well as a new lease on life.
15 We’re all still here.
16 Bottom line.
17 Raise a glass this Christmas season to everybody and everything.
18 We will get by.
19 We will get by.
20 We will survive.
21 Have yourselves a Merry little Christmas everybody.
22 See you next year.
23 Peace.
~H~
