24 March 2007

Elizabeth Edwards on loss

Nice piece on Smirking Chimp about Elizabeth Edwards. Here's the key graph for me:

Not long ago I watched an event on Cspan where Elizabeth Edwards discussed her book, "Saving Graces." Elizabeth gave a detailed account of her recovery from grieving the death of her teenage son, Wade. She shed no tears, but the depth of her pain was palpable. She paid minor attention to despair and major attention to healing. Not as a preacher. Or authority. But as a vessel of resolve and understanding. She freed the audience from fear of discussing her child by explaining how his essence is honored whenever they mention his name. She explained that avoiding discussing him was like erasing him and that he should never be erased. A simple lesson, but profound.

I feel that way about Paul, obviously. Sometimes I cry when I talk about him, but tears don't hurt as much as erasure.

No comments: