Monday, December 19, 2011

Somewhere Very Near

















  ~ in memory of my mother and dear friend

Dorothy Southam Jackson

July 7, 1926 - December 19, 2001


Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone,
wear no air of forced solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed 
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word 
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect, 
without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was; 
there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind 
because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, 
somewhere very near,
just round the corner.

All is well.

- Henry Scott Hollan (1847 - 1918)


4 comments:

  1. Seeing this picture of you and your mom (my aunt Dot), just now,makes me very happy... Thanks for sharing this, Bets.
    Xoxoxo

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  2. P.S. la Finquita is the name of our farm (me and Silvana).

    Xoxo
    Heather

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  3. Great picture that tells the story of you and your Mom. With Love, Penny

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  4. Thank you, lovelies, for reading and commenting.
    It means the world!

    xo b

    ReplyDelete