Caring thoughts from British Columbia to Ciara and all of you in both families. Language can't express much, can it?

What to offer Ciara as she adjusts to this changed world? My mom told me once, "You do have the strength. You're descended from survivors." It stuck with me, and helped.

Might-have-beens, not the actual loss, hurt the worst. Good, life-giving memories break the if-only... cycle.

Young leaves wind-torn, old leaves care-worn
Tumbling, crumbling into memory, form
Soil to feed next season's growth again

We can only guess how much of our road we will share with a fellow traveller. Thank you, Mick, for sharing both gifts with us: grieving and warning.
-Maureen-