My father sparked some rather unreal words today. For context, Aunt Claire died. She was a star that shined so bright, she stained the tides of time. This we heard firsthand from the work she had done with the hundreds of underprivileged immigrants who had fled their countries to seek a better life in the United States. Sister Marlene was there, to help them. Aunt Claire, following her decades of commitment to being a headteacher at the catholic school in Providence, had rerouted her precious time to helping the people that were most in need. A quality that perhaps we can all take some pages from.
We spent the day spoiled by the unrelenting joy & determination of the Sisters of Mercy. Holy shit, how archaic that sounds. But archaic it is not. My father and I discussed the religious sermon as we followed the casket in our car on the way to the cemetery. P.S. don’t ever put me in a fucking open casket.
What strength, unity, kindness & optimism this sisterhood exuded. The sermon & send off for Aunt Claire, was far from oblique. It was filled with song, remembrance, and joy. Her spirit lived through that hour in which we all shared. It was truly beautiful. The Sisters of Mercy, are Sisters. I will remember this day till my death.
The words my Father spoke, were eloquent, clear & impactful. He spoke them at La Familia Restaurant in Providence following the burial. But it was rather not what he said, but what he made me feel, post his stream of consciousness.
The tides of time are the only variable in which we have no control. And in this, there are only three things that remain true.
We show up for our family.
We show up for those who we call our family.
And, we show up for those who don’t have a family.
Kindly,
thefoolwithinyou
the fool within me 