Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Janie, my sadness for your loss and all you have handled in your devoted effort for recovery is deep and felt often when the thoughts of you and Russ creep in, many thoughts, many aspects of your life together, and the "who you are" of each of you.
Courage speaks of both and I'm sure you both gathered it up in abundance, especially for this trial time. Kindness to others was always there at every turn when the opportunity of sharing it presented itself. Russ is in the place in my heart that noticeably "ticked" so often because of his immediate acceptance of me, always validating the"other" in giving them an important place with him--an integral part of his music shared in joy and a wonderful spirit of giving. The world has lost a very special someone
Writing this leaves me saddened again. I pray the difficult days of your loss will lead to peace over time, that the pain will ease and lessen as the memories of your life together will help bring peace to your soul.
With deepest sympathy and caring about you,
Carol
Where do I like to sing? Everywhere! Sometimes when the day is at dawn or dusk, still and quiet, the beauty of the earth overwhelming me with gratitude, I sing my prayers of thanks and praise to Him. I create the tune and lyrics spontaneously, different every day. My foster mother told me that when I was five years old, I stood atop the grain box in our farm-home and sang for an hour, non-stop; I never told her that I remembered that experience. One remembers the highs in life. I grew up in Searsport with the ocean bordering on three sides of my homestead; I sang throughout my life strolling along the shore there.
I am now 79 and I sing with music that I or others create and I dance with it at various times, my own choreography varied with the rhythms and moods created. I am so happy inside at the dancing times, I smile constantly, prolifically! Sometimes I greet others sitting along the waterfront with song--"Walking in the sunshine, sing a little sunshine song...." and others depending on the day, audience, and emotions.
I sing in my car. I sing at church. I sing in my garden. I sing as I work in my house. I sing to babies and young children. I sang "You are my Sunshine" to a group of ladies knitting, I think, quite a few in number, and changed the lyrics thus: "You'll never know, dear ladies, how much I admire you..." I sing to restore my soul, to express love and caring, just as Russ did, to make happpiness, to have fun, and to be like the birds--they sing and soar, I sing and soar. Russ did that, we know! Way beyond!
C
