I am very close to my cousins B and K and love them dearly, including K's mother E, who is 88. E had a fall earlier this year and broke her wrist and suffered a concussion. As we know, injuries like that are hard to bounce back from. E was independent, living alone in Rossmoor and driving back and forth to visit her daughters, both in Oakland. She was a designer and made her living from her handicrafts, from making check book covers for Gumps in the 70's and 80's to sewing custom clothes and coats. Elaine was a self-made woman and I always enjoyed visiting her in the quiet and beauty of Rossmoor in the Tice Valley of Walnut Creek. Her small one bedroom apartment is chock full of antique chairs she had reupholstered herself, ornately framed portrait drawings, flowware plates and black metal candellabbras. It is crowded with hand crafted wooden boxes and over sized hand sewn tapestry pillows. Stained glass pieces hang above the windows and everywhere you turn there is a piece of beauty and interest, with a provenance that Elaine would gladly share. She spoke with a voice tinged with New Orleans and although I've never been, her place and her grace gave me a taste of being there. Last Wednesday, over a week ago now, B called to say E was fading fast. Her heart was failing and her energy was diminished. B knows and honors that my Wednesdays are paint dance days, but he suggested it might be time to go visit. My son Aa and I raced out there and saw how frail and weak she was, but she recognized us and was able to say a few words. I was so proud of Aa with his presence and ability to look into her eyes and tell her he loved her. That was over a week ago. I visited over the weekend and again on Tuesday. K is staying with her mom and caring for her in such a loving way. Family gathers and drops by and we are all holding the space for E to receive her family and friends and feel their presence as she prepares to cross over, to learn the secret. Her body is working so hard to house her spirit and that union doesn't seem long for this world, it is straining. She is taking morphine. Today her 85 yr old brother flew in from Louisiana with her nephew and E rallied to receive them and have a brief chat. It's amazing how tenacious her spirit is, but not a surprise given her long life and accomplishments.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Crossing over
I am very close to my cousins B and K and love them dearly, including K's mother E, who is 88. E had a fall earlier this year and broke her wrist and suffered a concussion. As we know, injuries like that are hard to bounce back from. E was independent, living alone in Rossmoor and driving back and forth to visit her daughters, both in Oakland. She was a designer and made her living from her handicrafts, from making check book covers for Gumps in the 70's and 80's to sewing custom clothes and coats. Elaine was a self-made woman and I always enjoyed visiting her in the quiet and beauty of Rossmoor in the Tice Valley of Walnut Creek. Her small one bedroom apartment is chock full of antique chairs she had reupholstered herself, ornately framed portrait drawings, flowware plates and black metal candellabbras. It is crowded with hand crafted wooden boxes and over sized hand sewn tapestry pillows. Stained glass pieces hang above the windows and everywhere you turn there is a piece of beauty and interest, with a provenance that Elaine would gladly share. She spoke with a voice tinged with New Orleans and although I've never been, her place and her grace gave me a taste of being there. Last Wednesday, over a week ago now, B called to say E was fading fast. Her heart was failing and her energy was diminished. B knows and honors that my Wednesdays are paint dance days, but he suggested it might be time to go visit. My son Aa and I raced out there and saw how frail and weak she was, but she recognized us and was able to say a few words. I was so proud of Aa with his presence and ability to look into her eyes and tell her he loved her. That was over a week ago. I visited over the weekend and again on Tuesday. K is staying with her mom and caring for her in such a loving way. Family gathers and drops by and we are all holding the space for E to receive her family and friends and feel their presence as she prepares to cross over, to learn the secret. Her body is working so hard to house her spirit and that union doesn't seem long for this world, it is straining. She is taking morphine. Today her 85 yr old brother flew in from Louisiana with her nephew and E rallied to receive them and have a brief chat. It's amazing how tenacious her spirit is, but not a surprise given her long life and accomplishments.
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E...has always been a grandmother to me in my own ways...she is beautiful inside and out.....I was overwhelmed to have visited with her last Saturday, in the beautiful warm quiet day in Walnut Creek in her warm loving apat...she held my hand and squeezed it from time to time, she knew it was me......Lauren, you write so BEAUTIFUL...your words flow of the beauty you are and the true description of Grandma E to all of us.....love, Debbie
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