Monday, September 26, 2011

Tender Mercy

September 25 is always a bittersweet day for me. Bitter, because I feel again the pain of your absence. Sweet because I reflect on the beauty of your life and the myriad of lessons I've learned from you, such as the reality of life's fragility, the necessity of loving those around you and telling them you love them, the uselessness of getting upset over small things, the fact that experiencing pain only expands our ability to feel love. But we have to choose to let that love back in.

Sometimes I wish more people had known you and your kindness, genuineness, love, joy. I just try to add a little more of those things to my own life, to pass on your legacy of those good things.

On most Sundays, I perform with a big choir downtown for their weekly broadcast. I think it's a Tender Mercy that on yesterday's broadcast they programed the song "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You", because this is my prayer for you. For us both, really. (don't tell anyone, but I sobbed through the whole performance of it)

"May you walk with sunlight shining
And a blue bird in every tree
May there be silver lining
Back of every cloud you see

Fill your dreams with sweet tomorrows
Never mind what might have been
May the Good Lord bless and keep you
Till we meet again"

I'm so grateful to know we will meet again.
Love you and miss you,
B

3 comments:

Joe Marshall said...

Feeling's mutual for a lot of people Britt, thanks for expressing it in a way some of us can't. Today I'm gonna send you and Junior a little memento of George I found that will probably make you both laugh and cry at once. Look for an email :)

Much love to the fam,
JM

Brit said...

Thanks Joseph. Looking forward to that email. My best to your family as well.
xoxo,
B

Kate said...

Thank you so much for writing something on the 25th. It's hard to know what to put into words and although our family always emails and calls each other on that day, sometimes those feelings are tender and personal, so they aren't shared on the blog. I am SO grateful to hear your feelings because I share them.
thank you for always adding!
fondly, Kate