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| Patricia here on our wheelchair ramp in 2010. |
Warren's words when he heard the sad news: "If anybody was right with God, it was Patricia."
Her last three posts on Facebook, the second two from the ER:
(1) Start praying, folks...getting hit hard with something...headache, dizziness, chest tightness, slight fever.Patricia and I were like sisters almost from the moment we met online back in 2006 and also knew each other face-to-face. We met face-to-face when she dropped everything in 2010 to come up here from Florida to help me after Mr. AOW's stroke. In 2016, she again dropped everything to come up here to care for me and Mr. AOW for 11 months. In 2019, she came here for a month to help with The Big Clean Out and was due to come here again on April 30 for the same. She was also planning to move with us to Indiana.
(2) HE is in control, what is the worst that can happen? I get to go Home!
(3) Thank, you...going to lay down for a spell.
How I will miss Patricia! In fact, I miss her already. But.......
We cover Thee –– Sweet Face ––
ReplyDeleteNot that We tire of Thee ––
But that Thyself fatigue of Us.
Remember, as Thou flee ––
We follow Thee ––
Until Thou notice Us no more ––
And then then, –– reluctant ––
Turn away to conn Thee o'er and o'er ––
And blame the scanty Love ––
We were content to show ––
Augmented,–– Sweet, –– a hundredfold ––
If Thou couldst take it now.
~ Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
"Do not ask for an easy path," he said to me, "but rather ask for strength to navigate the path that God has set before you."
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that I know today, thirty years later, precisely what that means, but it helped me keep my eye on the ball when my father died, and it has helped me often since.
Thank you, Jayhawk. That helps.
DeleteMy mother liked this one and designated it to be read at her own funeral:
ReplyDeleteDeath is nothing at all.
It does not count.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
Nothing has happened.
Everything remains exactly as it was.
I am I, and you are you,
and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by the old familiar name.
Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is absolute and unbroken continuity.
What is this death but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just round the corner.
All is well.
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!
Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/death-is-nothing-at-all-by-henry-scott-holland
About the above poem:
DeleteThe author, Henry Scott-Holland (1847 - 1918), a priest at St. Paul's Cathedral of London, did not intend it as a poem, it was actually delivered as part of a sermon in 1910. The sermon, titled, "Death the King of Terrors" was preached while the body of King Edward VII was lying in state at Westminster.
Wonderful words of comfort and inspiration that have bout them The Ring of Truth!
Delete"Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know, because in that other room I shall be able to see and hear."
ReplyDelete~ Helen Keller (1880-1968)
Thank you, Franco. I remember reading those words back in the day when I did school research on Helen Keller.
DeleteJust good people
ReplyDelete..........
Beak,
DeleteAmen to that!
I'm so sorry, AOW. I'll add Patricia to my prayer list and place her right next to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Adrienne. I'm a teary mess right now.
DeleteI;m sorry to hear of her passing.I know how much she meant to you.
ReplyDeleteBest to you and Mr. AOW.
Thank you, Duck.
DeleteTMW was the most selfless person I've ever known.
And her laugh? So musical and cheerful. She laughed a lot.
I have known Patricia since 2005. We became close friends and I looked on her as the little sister I never had and she looked on me as her big brother and that's how we thought of each other.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sad for my little sister, I'm sad for myself. I will miss her cheery voice saying, Hello big bro! -It always brought a smile to my face-, and I would reply, Hello little sis!
Until we meet again, little sister.
Warren,
DeleteYes, we are sorry for ourselves. Human nature, I suppose.
Patricia, an only child, often called me "Big Sis." She loved saying that, and I, also an only child, loved hearing it.
I dread cleaning out the box she left here in December, the box labeled "Patricia's box." She left that behind so as not to pack so much on her return trip on April 30.
Our upstairs bedroom has been called "Patricia's Room" for a decade now, when Patricia moved in here for 6 weeks to help me after Mr. AOW's stroke. We arranged it to accommodate her -- after all, when she came to visit, she stayed for a while and carried some of my work load, a lot of my work load.
And our kitty Amber so loves Patricia! She goes into the room from time to time and rolls on Patricia's chair. I swear that Amber knows who I mean when I say "Aunt Patricia." Amber became Patricia's kitty when I was so very ill in 2016-2017 and couldn't give Amber even a little bit of attention.
From one of my former homeschool coordinators (and a friend as well):
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about Patricia's death-and shocked! Yesterday, I saw on Facebook where she asked for prayers and later, said she needed to rest. Never did I expect to hear about her death today.
When I last spoke to her at the Christmas party [December 3, 2019, when Patricia was here for The Big Clean Out Part One], she was very excited at the thoughts of moving to Indiana with you and Dave. She always seemed so excited to see each new day. Although I am certain she had her down days like everyone, she kept busy with life rather than "sulking".
In yesterday's post she wrote that she was not worried. If she died, she would just go to heaven sooner than expected which is a good attitude to have. Heaven's gain is our loss. Although I do not wish bad luck on anyone, I do wonder why God takes so many "blessings" home and leaves us with so many "challenging people". Perhaps, he wants to give the challenges more time to straighten up?
Condolences from ....
Do not stand at my grave and weep
ReplyDeleteI am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
~ Mary Elizabeth Frye (1905-2004)
SINCE WE NEER KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL BE CALLED NEXt, I BELIEVE IT WISE TO TAKE THESE FAMOUS WORDS VERY MUCH TO HEART:
ReplyDeleteTo the Virgins, to Make Much of Time
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he 's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.
~ Robert Herrick (1591–1674)
HOW MANY DECADES PASSED BEFORE I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT ROBERT HERRICK WAS REALLY SAYING!
THIS APPLIES EQUALLY TO EVERYONE –– NOT JUST VIRGINS.
Delete};-)>
I didn't know her, but I am also very am so sorry to hear about Patricia's death. I wish ALL of her family, and loved ones my sincere Condolences.
ReplyDeleteAnd may she Rest In Peace.
So sorry AOW. If she is not in a good place then no one is.
ReplyDeleteKid,
DeleteIf she is not in a good place then no one is.
So true!
:(
ReplyDeleteI got a Facebook Message from her Sat? night...I didn't understand it at the time. Now I do. She said, "Just wanted to say THANKS for giving me the opportunity to reconnect with Shelle, A good thing!". I sent her a thumbs up, not knowing precisely what it meant.
She was an amazing woman who I will sorely miss!
Such a beautiful tribute at your blog, FJ! She was indeed an amazing woman.
DeleteI was so shocked to get the call that she had died.
ReplyDeleteWhen she went in, I had the impression it was Wuhan Flu.
When she said she felt better, I was relieved.
I'm sorry for your loss.
May G-d (as she spelled it) comfort her family and friends, you and your husband and Warren chief among them.
Amen, Ed.
DeleteEd,
DeleteI wasn't on Facebook for most of that day, so I was gobsmacked when I phoned Patricia on her mobile to tell her about President Trump's recommendation for the restrictions to be extended to April 30, the very date she was due to come up here again. Her daughter answered her Patricia's mobile and said, "How much do you know?," then told me as gently as she could through her sobs. Her daughter had her mother's phone in her hand and was scrolling through to find my mobile number. "You were such a good friend to my mom, and I want to thank you for that." I burst into major tears at that point. Pretty hysterical on my part.
My first thought when her daughter said, "Mom died 30 minutes ago": Wuhan Flu. Patricia had worked the polls on March 17 and could well have been exposed. She also did all the grocery shopping for the household, and I had been worried about exposure, of course.
May G-d (as she spelled it) comfort her family and friends, you and your husband and Warren chief among them.
Thank you, Ed. The four of us had been family since 2006 or so. To say that we are depressed is an understatement.
She's gone to her reward. May she rest in peace. Prayers for you and her family and friends.
ReplyDeleteOld NFO,
DeleteYes, she is with Our Lord. No doubt about it.
Note: when I become aware of the arrangements, I will post that information.
ReplyDeleteI am so, so very sorry for your loss... and we have lost another great American. You will all be in my prayers. 🙏🙏🙏😪😪😪
ReplyDeleteKoji,
ReplyDeleteThank you. And, yes, Patricia was another great American.
So very sorry AOW...just starting to be able to make the rounds. I know how much she met to you. Prayers of course.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bunkerville.
DeleteI'm pretty much flattened by this. The first time I've lost a close friend.
I remember her well. Wonderful person!
ReplyDeleteYes, she was, Jason.
DeleteI have a big hole in my life and daily routine without Patricia.
I was deeply saddened by the news that Patricia had passed. I know that she was a great friend of yours, Always. May she rest in peace! Requiesce in pace, Patricia!
ReplyDeleteAbide with Me – King's College Choir, Cambridge
https://youtu.be/deJDkU6qiGE
Thank you, Mark.
DeleteThe grief here is wide and deep right now. I'm sure that you understand.
PS: That is a lovely and meaningful rendition of "Abide with Me."
Delete"Abide with Me" is a Christian hymn written by Scottish Anglican Henry Francis Lyte.
DeleteHe wrote it in 1847 while he lay dying from tuberculosis; he survived only a further three weeks after its completion.
1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
2. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away; change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me.
3. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
4. I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears not bitterness. Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
5. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
I didn't know all the background to that. You have given me new information there. Thank you! I like that rendition of 'Abide with Me', too. Glad you liked it as well. That Patricia is sorely missed is something I really understand. I spoke with her only once on FaceTime. I wish I had been able to get to know her better.
ReplyDelete