”You would like her,” they said. Neighbors had encouraged me to stop in and visit her for some time. Apparently she had great stories to share. But I never quite got around to it. And this week she died.
Annie lived just down the road from the cottage here in Ireland. A modest trailer home she shared with her dog and cat. Two days ago we noticed the cars. And then the hearse. And we knew.
I wasn’t sure about going to the funeral for a woman I had never met. But here if you live on the same road, if you are a neighbor, you go. And so I did. There was no church service because although she was a very spiritual 
woman she had no love of organized religion. The service was around her grave. As we gathered, the skies let loose and we were soon drenched. Perhaps a blessing from Annie.
As people spoke and placed flowers, especially single yellow roses, over her casket I got a sense of the woman. When people visited her she made them feel like they were the only people in the world that mattered. She kept both stories and confidences. She loved music and dancing, often the first on the dance floor. She saw death as intrinsically woven with life and in the end she was ready to go. Excited even. Ready for the next adventure.
”I’m just a soul who’s intentions are good.” “I get by with a little help from my friends.” As those lyrics were played I had a deeper sense of this woman.
And yes. I would have liked her.
Of course I had no anticipation of crying. I had never met Annie. But as we drove home past her tiny house her dog was sitting on the front porch waiting for her. Looking so lost and forlorn. It broke my heart. And the tears flowed.
Annie, you will be missed.
Beannacht,
Judith – judith@stonefires.com
very touching. thanks. i hope/pray someone takes care of her dog.
jerilynn blum, MA, LCPC
counseling, art and sandtray therapy, meditation instruction
1510 robert street, suite 102, boise, id 83705
208-724-9502
artsandplay@yahoo.com
May all beings have fresh clean air to breathe and water to drink.
May they have food to eat and a home.
May all beings have someone to share love with and know their true purpose.
May all beings be well and happy and free from suffering.
May we do what we can this day to make this so.
worlddayofmetta.com
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Hey friend. Well, it turns out a neighbor was very interested in taking the dog but when I went down to another neighbor to talk about it I found out the dog had been put down. I was shocked. But apparently it’s what Annie wanted. The dog was 17 and, according to Mick, pretty aggressive. Still was hard to hear of this.
Beannacht, Judith
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