Thank you for bringing this poet and his beautiful relationship to us. I am so moved by his courage, and his partner’s, and the intelligence that shines throughout his writing through dementia. It’s what we all dread most, and they faced with courage and art. The marbled paper is the perfect accompaniment to this essay.
“ To conduct oneself with kindness is as great an act—as essential, as heroic—as the writing of a poem, the winning of awards, the collection of trophies and stars.” — Sublime Truth
Gorgeous. As someone who has lost a loved one to memory loss, this line resonates: "He was not less than; he was changing." In my mother's case, she struggled to connect with the kindness she had before dementia set in. I think perhaps her anger was pent up and she unleashed it! Thank you for sharing this.
Oh, Joceyln — This is a hard story, a hard something to imagine and, I’m sure, was so very — bewildering, at the very least — at the time, and in memory. I’m sorry that all of you went through this.
The idea of a person changing instead of failing; riding above instead of below. Heart eternal with heart eternal. Brian remembered and cherished. Thank you for this, Jillian and Beth.
What a beautiful tribute! Those moments of transcendence are what keep us going...keep us believing that all is not lost. Beautiful marbled paper, Beth!
This is so beautiful, Beth, this tribute to your friend, to her beloved, and to the kindness that is the essence of each of us. Thank you for bringing us back to what is real, what matters, with your words, your art, your great, discerning heart. Grateful.
You friend Jillian's word are the epitome of kindness, of goodness. What a blessing this woman must be in your life. She reminded me of Naomi Shihab Nye’s breath-stopping poem, Kindness, in which she says “Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,…” https://poets.org/poem/kindness
And your thought-"To see a man for his goodness above all else is to reveal the goodness of the seer."- so true. In the end, there is only kindness.
Thank you for bringing this poet and his beautiful relationship to us. I am so moved by his courage, and his partner’s, and the intelligence that shines throughout his writing through dementia. It’s what we all dread most, and they faced with courage and art. The marbled paper is the perfect accompaniment to this essay.
And reading your words makes me want to cry all over again. Thank you, Karen. And what writers—both of them.
“ To conduct oneself with kindness is as great an act—as essential, as heroic—as the writing of a poem, the winning of awards, the collection of trophies and stars.” — Sublime Truth
A truth I keep relearning, Bob, thanks to people like Jillian. Thank you.
Gorgeous. As someone who has lost a loved one to memory loss, this line resonates: "He was not less than; he was changing." In my mother's case, she struggled to connect with the kindness she had before dementia set in. I think perhaps her anger was pent up and she unleashed it! Thank you for sharing this.
Oh, Joceyln — This is a hard story, a hard something to imagine and, I’m sure, was so very — bewildering, at the very least — at the time, and in memory. I’m sorry that all of you went through this.
The idea of a person changing instead of failing; riding above instead of below. Heart eternal with heart eternal. Brian remembered and cherished. Thank you for this, Jillian and Beth.
all of this, Nancy. thank you.
Thank you for sharing this. Beautiful X
What a beautiful tribute! Those moments of transcendence are what keep us going...keep us believing that all is not lost. Beautiful marbled paper, Beth!
Jillian has taught me so much, Linda. Thank you.
This is so beautiful, Beth, this tribute to your friend, to her beloved, and to the kindness that is the essence of each of us. Thank you for bringing us back to what is real, what matters, with your words, your art, your great, discerning heart. Grateful.
And I thank you, Hiro, for always being near. Your own great, discerning heart.
💝
Your words are stunning, to compare kindness to poetry. To me, loss of kindness is a lost opportunity to care, a chance to immerse fully.
Gerri, this, itself, is glorious. Just glorious. I will always think of kindness now as an opportunity to care. Thank you.
Poignant. Thank you.
Thank you, Nancy —
💔
Beth, this is just gorgeous.
Thank you, Jax. It is all Jillian’s beauty.
Thank you for this. This one is going to last.
Thank you, dear Lea.
Dawn, dementia, dusk.
Jillian and Brian, us.
In the end, just love.
You friend Jillian's word are the epitome of kindness, of goodness. What a blessing this woman must be in your life. She reminded me of Naomi Shihab Nye’s breath-stopping poem, Kindness, in which she says “Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,…” https://poets.org/poem/kindness
And your thought-"To see a man for his goodness above all else is to reveal the goodness of the seer."- so true. In the end, there is only kindness.