The Art of LOSING: Poems of Grief and Healing

Yesterday I attended a funeral in the desert with my mom. The day before I was drawn to this book of Poetry The Art Of Losing: Poems of Grief and Healing. I did not realize how tightly these two events would be drawn together until Open Mic Night at Aroma's Cafe until later that Tuesday evening.

I called my mom on Tuesday, July 12, 2011, in the middle of my day, because I felt I needed to. She said "the funeral" had just started. No TV channels in my area were broadcasting the funeral so I listened through the phone for a while when it dawned on me that maybe I could get the broadcast on my computer via the internet and by the miracle of modern technology I could. She and I watched together the funeral. We held the telephone line open, and spoke throughout the ceremony, this is how I was able to be there with her, 4000 miles away.

You see my mother worked at the Betty Ford Center in the Coachella Valley for many years. As an alcoholic counselor she worked with and beside many very fine people. Many of these people, you would defiantly recognize their names, some are dead (like Liz and Johnny C) but others are still with us on this earth. On this day she was remembering all those years, in that place, with these people in the desert; and the journey that she herself has taken to be alive today.

I was glad I was able to attend with her this funeral.