#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Under the summer roses When the flagrant crimson Lurks in the dusk Of the wild red leaves, Love, with little hands, Comes and touches you With a thousand memories, And asks you Beautiful, unanswerable questions.

~ Excerpt from “Under the Harvest Moon,” Carl Sandburg

Still summer, and it rained all night and watered everything, but sunshine broke in the morning and I walked with my dear friend and her dog. In the meadow I saw at a bit of a distance a monarch on a puff of purple clover in the grass. Today was my aunt’s funeral and I went and it was very moving and lovely and perfect. It wasn’t a service, it was a celebration. The Rabbi said very little, and then everyone was invited to speak who wanted to speak about my aunt’s life. And the stories and the love poured out from young and old. We were saturated with stories of how loved she was by family, friends, and more. And her grandson moved me deeply, talking about the special fun and laughter he had with her for years from birth on. I am going off to sleep tonight filled up with her life, how big it was, how important it was, what a fierce advocate for love and truth and healing she was in the world. She grew up in a home that harmed her and she escaped it and healed from it and made a beautiful family and career and life with her courage and caring for others.