I have lived the last week with my eyes and my hands. My eyes and the hands of others. My hands holding the hands of others. In silence and in noise.
Yesterday I attended the funeral for a friend’s mother. I had a seat that afforded me the view of my friend’s right hand. I could see no faces, having only a limited view from several rows back. Her hand rarely left her father’s right shoulder. It gripped him to hold him up, with every muscle in her forearm defined. It caressed his back gently and then returned to its grasp. Nails polished a burnished steel, her hand told a story that left me in tears. The quiet kind that slips out while your eyes are wide open and you are unaware until you swipe them back.
Not a week before that, I was standing in the living room of a friend in the company of many. I was listening intently to the quick speeches of two other friends when I realized one of them was veering into speaking about me. I reached immediately for the arm of a dear friend to my right, and his hand found mine and never left. Having been summoned, I left him to walk into the realm of the speakers. I can still feel the comfort of his grip. The knowledge that he was there for me and would have held on through thick and thin was transforming.
I know that my friend’s dad felt that from his daughter. The thick and the thin. Through the liturgy, the Eucharist, and the final hymn.
The gentle power of the human hand has been a wonder for me to behold.
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Beautifully written and touching, as usual. Thank you for sharing a slice of your rich, full life.
xoxo-april
April:
As always, thank you for reading our blog. It has been a great week and I have learned much.
– sloane
Beautiful piece! I’ve had 3 funerals this week so this was meaningful. Thank you.
Janel:
Three funerals? You must be exhausted. I did turn to a friend at the end of the service – in the pew behind me – and say that when I grow up I am going to remember to bring tissues in my purse … all these years and it is the one thing I forget!
My wish for you is a healing weekend and I thank you for reading our blog and for taking time to send along a note.
– sloane
Always love reading & absorbing your blog speak! Such a wise woman, you are. I am thankful you were in my life. Love to you. Jane
Jane:
I am touched to receive your note and I thank you for reading out blog and sending a message.
Happy holidays!
-sloane
Absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing it!!
I love how you write. I love how the words flow from everything that is Sloane, felt from head to toe, language of the brain that is cherished by your heart and fired by your soul. I love the beautiful alchemy out of your fingertips that gives so much peace and healing to others.
Scotty:
You are too kind. Truly. I live a life I love, and if I keep my eyes and mind open grace steps in and shows me things I wouldn’t see.
I am lucky to have you as a friend and to say that you are an inspiration to me would be the understatement of the century.
xoxo
– sloane