So when all that's left of me is love, give me away.
I'm sad to share that my stepdad Stephen Bomse passed away last Sunday. He died at home surrounded by family. We had a small funeral and a gathering to honor his passing. We shared stories, and some gave speeches (Steve was a great writer and orator, not to mention his skills as a lawyer). My Uncle led the service at his burial and we said the traditional Jewish prayer, the mourners Kaddish. In one excerpt of the Kaddish (translation by Merrit Malloy) it says,
And when you say Kaddish for me
Remember what our torah teaches
Love doesn't die,
People do.
So when all that's left of me is love
Give me away.
Death is not an easy thing to grapple with or talk about and it's part of life. I will continue to think about Steve and about ways that I can try to understand death and grief and how to talk to other's about these things. I remember my first season farming, it was October and I was looking up at the dead and dried Sunflower stalks. I was sad that the end of the season had come. As I sat there on the hill next to the farm in the cold of October I realized I was not familiar with or comfortable with the cycles of life including death. Although honoring the seasons and the death of plants is nothing like saying goodbye to friends and family it is similar in that all living things live and die. I appreciate that closeness to cycles that working in agriculture brings me. I appreciate taking the time to honor the seasons and in turn also honor one another. As I navigate with my family grieving the loss of my step dad, I am reminded to let my body enjoy each moment. Experiencing loss is also a reminder to show up for this one life that we have.
In honor of Steve's life if you can make a donation to the following organizations pls do so and check out the important work these organizations are doing.
Fair Fight - https://fairfight.com
Equal Justice Initiative - https://eji.org
Thanks as always for reading. Please don't hesitate or reach out with thoughts or questions.
Joanna
