Author Archives: Jen
Observing Grief (XII)
I talked to my mom today.Â? The “Celebration of Life” went well and she sent me some scans of the pages, including a poem that my cousin Sari wrote and gave at the service.Â? The picture of my Opa on the cover is bringing me to tears because it’s a reminder that he is indeed gone.
I’m wishing that I could have gone to the service on Saturday but I kind of had to choose one or the other and Oregon will be when the whole family gets together, so I chose that.Â? It’s still just really breaking me up now because now I have reminders that my grandfather has passed and it’s not just something distant.
I knew the tears would come — I just didn’t know when.
Credo
Speaking of Faith has a feature on the creeds where they replay a conversation with Jaroslav Pelikan, the late Lutheran-turned-Orthodox church historian. I’m listening to it and I *HIGHLY* recommend it.
One point I love: that a wonderful thing about the creeds is that worshippers in Phillipines say the same words in their worship as I do in Montana. It’s why I am very much a lover of traditional liturgies (and would be Eastern Orthodox if I wasn’t Lutheran) — it is such an amazing thing to realize that I worship in union with my brothers and sisters all over the world.
My Current Lullaby
I’ve been listening to the songs by the group “Wild Mountain Thyme” on Napster. They do Irish and Scottish drinking songs which both cheer me up and alternately make me cry (depending on the song). The song that’s stuck in my head these days as I fall asleep is this one…
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.
Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunderclouds rend the air;
Baffled, our foes stand by the shore,
Follow they will not dare.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.
Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,
Ocean’s a royal bed.
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.
Many’s the lad fought on that day,
Well the claymore could wield,
When the night came, silently lay
Dead in Culloden’s field.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.
Burned are their homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet e’er the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.
OK… a little on the bloody side (it is about Bonnie Prince Charles escaping to the Isle of Skye and the Battle of Culloden — it’s a Scottish thing) but it’s a comforting tune.
The song “Wild Mountain Thyme” is also liable to make me cry these days as well…
Observing Grief (XI)
The “Celebration of Life” for my grandfather was this afternoon in Mt. Vernon and the fact that it’s happening has been making me weepy for a couple days.Â? I’m chill with him being in a better place and all that — it’s just that having the CoL (which is the Episcopalian euphemism for a “funeral”) is a reminder that he *IS* dead and no matter how much I believe in everlasting life, I still am gonna miss him.
So… to deal with my grief, I did this. Â? I’ll be at my grandfather’s burial in June — I think that will be my healing point.Â? Meanwhile, it’s going to be somewhat comforting to know that a kid in Kalispell is going to be getting a comfort blankie because a 26 year old chica wanted to do something meaningful to remember her Opa.
I’m the Birthday Princess, Darn It!
The story behind my birthday crown: for my boss’ birthday, I made her a birthday princess crown out of construction paper.Â? This is her getting me back.Â? :)Â? I would have worn it all day except that it’s too small for my head.
Attention Hollywood: PICK ANOTHER DATE!!!!!
OK… why is it that all the blockbuster movies come out on or around my birthday?Â? Three of the Star Wars ones did (Empire Strikes Back, Phantom Menace, and Revenge of the Sith) and now The Da Vinci Code.
Could you pick another day so that people actually spend time with me instead of going to see said flicks!?!?!?!?
(Still a little bitter about 1999 when everyone went to see Star Wars and left me alone in my Chem 1N lab…)