Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.

The Hospice bereavement group started last night. Essentially, what is said in the room, stays in the room. For some reason, I thought everyone in the group would be exactly like me and have my exact same experience. Instead, the only thing that we have in common is that we are together at this same point, and the experiences that have brought us here are as different as we are.


One of the initial introductions, before we told the why, was to say our name and the person that has invited us here. (I think invite is my word, not the facilitator's. He may have said something to the effect of "Who have you lost?", but really Mom has invited me to this table.)


To say this was so very hard. And I think back to the words that I chose for Mom's funeral. "Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it." When I chose this cannon for Mom, these words were so important to me and what I had hoped for everyone that knew her.

So maybe this is the starting point.

My name is Robin. My Mom invited me here. Her name was Pat and I loved her very much.