Family Ties Poem by Bill Galvin

This past week…
The stars have covered every night’s sky;
Every day a golden sun shone from on high.

God’s handprint is all about,
And I have been guided by a Great Spirit,
Which travels with me hither and yon,
Counsels where to go, when to stop;
And speaks the words that I say or copy down.

A goldfinch gifts me with a yellow/black feather,
Leaving it on my back deck one clear morning…
I look down and say, how about that,
A beauty… it fits perfectly in the band of my hat.

The Twins were celebrated firstly,
As they have seen now 88 birthdays;
The Ladies accept living with assistance;
But they enjoy having the future of the family around,
As three generations surround them;
They are once again together, like their growing years;
The Twins are now living Together in Twilight.

A wonderful wedding for Deb’s loving niece;
She came by with her beau one day
To spend quality time with Deb and tell of her plans;
Deb and I enjoyed her future husband,
Gracious and attentive in an awkward situation.
May the sun shine down on those two forever.

Often, we sat facing the woods, and the Peace Garden;
Many fun and soothing conversations on a quiet eve,
After a day’s exploring the Cape or countryside,
With Dear Nisi and Michael, and my son, Bill;
Awaiting the first stars and fireflies of the night.

Sisters, brothers, cousins, nephews, nieces, son…
Connecting, reminiscing, passing the legacy on;
Living in the present, yet remembering the past;
Clearing roadways for the future.
- - - - - - - - -

And the gathering at Deb’s resting place…
All her family “Ds” were present…
Denise, Dodie, Dixie, Donnie, my sister Debbie,
And Paul and Peggy, Michael, and my son Billy.

She was the common bond,
The glue, that held her whole family together;
So we all gathered here so as not to forget her.
We all shared stories of her Light and her Love;
No scene in any play could be written any better.

All agreed, “Deb would have loved this.”
Someone said, “She does. I can see her smiling.”
The only way it could have been a better day,
Is if she were still here,
And we didn’t have to be there.

And as she wished always so fervently
To be on good terms with everyone,
And for all to get along;
Bridging chasms where she could;
Encouraging everyone to take their blinders off;
We were there embracing one another in her honor.

There was missing-her, but little tearing;
She was the reason we came together;
We all gathered here rather than forget her;
We played her music… touched her face…
It’s hard to imagine that it could turn out any better.

She painted pretty pictures for each family member,
With her stories told to each so uniquely,
And as she smiled through all her misery;
And we shared… she wanted joy for everyone,
Before she sailed off to the final sleep in eternity.
We who shared her journey
Saw it so full of courage and dignity.

She was the one for us all; the magnet;
She drew as many as she could together;
So they came here so as not to forget her.
She, a simple, invisible force spreading kindnesses;
The warmth around her getting better and better.

She only saw the Good in anyone;
And offered to help cultivate the best.
A straight forward approach with little turning;
Her love of Rightness always burning;
All agreed, we were enriched from her yearning.

A new friend, Kimmie, reminds me,
“This is the Gift…
This chance to laugh, and love, and live.”
Early on in her life, Deb found this to be true,
And lived every day as blessed, fresh, and new;
And understood this Life as a Gift from Above;
And shared that with us as a living proof;
And now, she is comforted in that Eternal Love.

Her pathway to Heaven,
Not an easy one to follow;
But she leaves us a lesson,
As she moves on to infinite tomorrows,
Living with nary a whimper or complaint.
But she’d be the first to tell you
That she’s no angel or saint;
She’s just one soul who accepted what is,
Dismissed what ain’t;
Took it one day at a time;
And appreciated the blessings of her life.

She danced; she sang; she smiled and laughed;
She fashioned a lifetime lover’s wreath
Made from sunshine, flowers, moonlight,
And stars that move across the night sky;
But she wished for only one thing to bequeath…
That our loads would lighten, our ties would tighten;
That we would crawl out from underneath
The pettiness, the fears, that keep us from Peace.

Greetings were given to the predeceased;
To Mom and Dad; to nephew Tim;
To the Reverend Leila Wheaton, who married us;
And, also, nephew Matt, who joined them recently.
The glass of remembrance was overflowing,
And everyone felt fulfilled.

She was a fulcrum; a center of balance;
She was a loving puppeteer
Pulling strings to hold her family together;
So we all gathered here so as not to forget her.
We all shared stories of her Light and her Love;
All in all, it couldn’t have been much better.

We leave her smiling.

And she smiles back.

8-11-2015