Your dad sounds like he was a remarkable man. I love the imagery of the two of you savoring being tossed about in the cold sea, pulling yourselves out of the water by strands of sea weed and then each having a warm space on the granite rock for yourselves, a book and a book holder.
Beautiful and sad. I loved the image of the children holding onto the seaweed to haul themselves out of the water, so much like what the father did to keep his head above water.
So lovely. I suspect so many of us are like this beautiful rock, smooth external edges from years of turmoil. I really enjoyed reading about your Dad, and fun fact, I also have a very similar rock to this found in a lake in Upstate NY. Beautiful!
I can feel the scramble out of the ocean, the earthy heat of the sun-warmed granite. I can feel your father's deep gratitude for life dissolving the mind's nagging interrogation of its own authenticity. I can feel you accepting his strength and departure like skin accepting the heat of the sun-warmed stone. The beauty you've wrought with these words is a ripple from the middle. Thank you!
I’m so glad that my essay gives you hope. Writing it gave me the chance to knit my memories together into something that feels hopeful. I hope you find the same.
I love this meditation on hard things.
I love that way of putting it ❤️
Thank you.
Your dad sounds like he was a remarkable man. I love the imagery of the two of you savoring being tossed about in the cold sea, pulling yourselves out of the water by strands of sea weed and then each having a warm space on the granite rock for yourselves, a book and a book holder.
❤️
I’m so glad that what I shared about my dad resonated with you. ❤️ He was indeed remarkable.
Beautiful and sad. I loved the image of the children holding onto the seaweed to haul themselves out of the water, so much like what the father did to keep his head above water.
Thank you. You’ve captured exactly what I was trying to say
So lovely. I suspect so many of us are like this beautiful rock, smooth external edges from years of turmoil. I really enjoyed reading about your Dad, and fun fact, I also have a very similar rock to this found in a lake in Upstate NY. Beautiful!
❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for your lovely note. I can tell you also understand the special beauty of beach rocks.
I can feel the scramble out of the ocean, the earthy heat of the sun-warmed granite. I can feel your father's deep gratitude for life dissolving the mind's nagging interrogation of its own authenticity. I can feel you accepting his strength and departure like skin accepting the heat of the sun-warmed stone. The beauty you've wrought with these words is a ripple from the middle. Thank you!
What a lovely response. ❤️
Wish my father, who is still alive, would share with me like yours did. Your story is lovely and loving and gives me hope.
I wish and hope it for you too. Thank you for reading 💓
I’m so glad that my essay gives you hope. Writing it gave me the chance to knit my memories together into something that feels hopeful. I hope you find the same.
Made me cry. Lovely.
💓
I can relate to tears
Beautiful essay.
I’m so glad you found beauty in it
About the size of a softball, but there was nothing soft about it.
Evocative and pure, this memoir piece took me from sun-kissed summer days to moving slowly through the snow of a familiar twilight season.
Jennifer, thank you for your beautiful and memorable writing.
“Acquainted with despair “ - yet he did not make it his only one. I am a sucker for a father/daughter story. Thank you.
So true!
A rock tells a thousand stories