the passing

shilohlin
Author: shilohlin
Word Count: 367
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the passing

the passing belongs to the following groups:

Mature Woman

An elderly dear friend passed away yesterday.
I found out this morning and spent several hours
thinking of Henrietta, whom we all called Granny
at her insistance…...........

Granny’s favorite thing to do was sit on the back
porch of her home and watch the squirrels chase
each other through the yard…... and to wave at
boaters passing by on the canal, and to name each
bird she saw, giggling when she got it wrong.

I sort of struggled earlier today with how I could
honor the memory of Henrietta…....she liked flowers
in the yard, not in a vase.

During an especially wonderful outting in Nature today
it occured to me that I was indeed honoring her with
everything I saw!

She would have laughed out loud, as I did, at the Marmot
who sprawled out thin on a rock to sun himself, while his mate nibbled grass below his perch. Granny would have
grinned from ear to ear at the very fat Robin who
sat perfectly still on the bough of a Pine tree…...
allowing shutters to click madly at such a lovely sight.

She would have been so pleased to see fishermen
in the river, as they gracefully danced their fly- lines
ontop of the water…....with a rythm that was the heartbeat
of the meadow.
Her warnings to be careful going up that narrow path,
would have turned to exclamations of awe as the pastures, valleys, and waterways layed out before our eyes.

Granny’s spirit was laughing and giggling with mine
as we stopped every few feet along the trail, looking
at a tiny plant or flower…...trying to guess what it was,
and standing still as statues so as not to scare off a
small mammal who was busily throwing dirt over the hole to his underground home.

And the hummingbirds who paused flight just long enough to be seen, then darting away with lightening speed would have made her dance with joy.

Granny was with me today for sure…......from the east coast she passed by Colorado just long
enough to smile, say goodbye, and laugh with the
animals…...as she had always done~

in loving memory of Henrietta Chestnut

  • lianne

    lianne

    What a lovely tribute to a woman I would have liked to have known. I’m really sorry that you have lost such a friend – but obviously, you haven’t really lost her at all. A beautiful piece of writing Shiloh.

  • shilohlin replied

    thank you so much lianne for such kind words.
    she was 96 and truly touched my life in the sweetest way

  • Jan Landers

    Jan Landers

    through tears i read this…...tears of sadness for those who will miss this lovely spirit…tears of joy that she accompanied us today and saw what we saw…..and tears of happiness for her as she now flies free of this earthly plane….happy trails, granny…you are loved…..
    beautiful writing, my dear friend…..just beautiful….i know she is smiling down on you at this very moment…..

  • shilohlin replied

    mato kola, wanishi

  • pinkyjain

    pinkyjain

    Such a lovely and such the sweetest memorial for a woman who seemed truly wonderful. This is really beautiful. So nice to know, tho she is gone from the Earth, she is still with you, smiling and giggling with you

  • shilohlin replied

    bless your heart pinky…...thank you

  • loramae

    loramae

    Shiloh…You are precious and what a lovely testament to your dear friend. Im glad you have memories so sweet that will keep her with you for forever. God Bless you Shiloh! :O)

  • shilohlin replied

    thank you so much for your heart felt kindness.

  • Jaybe

    Jaybe

    Shiloh, this touched my very soul. Such beautiful, heartfelt writing…..and an amazing tribute to an obviously incredible lady.

  • shilohlin replied

    thank you for your warm thoughts Jaybe

  • red addiction

    red addiction

    SO BEAUTIFUL! I HOPE SOMEDAY, SOMEONE LIKE YOU, WILL WRITE GOOD THINGS ABOUT ME!

  • shilohlin

    shilohlin

    thank you! what a wonderful thing to say…......I am certain each of us has a person in their life who feels these things and will indeed write them out….......
    bless your heart :)

  • kjgordon

    kjgordon

    E pili mau na pomaika`i ia `oe…......................... May blessings ever be with you

  • shilohlin replied

    wanishi, mato kola (thankyou my friend)

  • JRobin Whitley

    JRobin Whitley

    This is beautiful. You pay tribute to your friend twice mato kola!

  • shilohlin replied

    wanishi….

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