A Calm on the Winterscape
It was a most beautiful commencement of the day. There was a small amount of snow having fallen during the night, and there were a few flurries lingering at daybreak, enough to dust over this well trodden path down the lane......but not enough to warrant a shoveling detail.
It has now been two weeks since my father’s passing, and this is the first morning since that I’ve recognized immediately life is truly different. Seeing as I met with Ed Sr., through the week for morning coffee, and during his month-plus stay in hospital I visited on most afternoons, it was a wee challenge, on those first days after, convincing myself he was no longer part of this great mortal coil of life. On several occasions I got this urge to phone him just to pass on some new tidbit of information, realizing at the last minute that the call would only ring in my wife Suzanne’s purse, because she kept the cell phone after he had collapsed, at his apartment, on the 15th of December. Today was both a refreshing, bright morning staring out over the snow-laden woodland and it was the first day I didn’t feel the weight of this family loss.
Our family has been overwhelmed by the many acts of kindness received from his neighbors and friends, work colleagues and associates since, his passing on the 20th of January, at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital. We are thankful he was amongst so many friends for those final few years he spent at the Bass Rock apartments in Bracebridge........a most tranquil place in a beautiful river-front setting that my mother Merle adored. It was friendships like this that kept him happily at Bass Rock, after my mother died in the spring of 2008, and kept him looking forward to every day, and every encounter with neighbors and family.
I had planned to bring our dog Bosko to the apartment, on that last day, Jan. 31st., as he truly loved visiting Ed and getting her morning cookies.....and then curling into a ball at Ed’s feet for a wee nap while we visited. We used to let him run to the apartment from down the hall, and Ed knew to keep the door open.....and if not, Bosko might crash through regardless. Bosko put on quite a show for her friend, rolling on her back, chasing her tail, as if it was the requirement for that eventual handful of treats. Ed always seemed to enjoy the canine company. We thought about it, and decided it would be terrible to put Bosko in this situation, coming into an empty apartment, with no Ed to perform for.......even if we supplied the cookies it just wouldn’t be the same. She whines every time we head out the door in the morning, pretty sure she’s missing out on a visit to Bass Rock. Deep down I think she knows, and if there’s truly life after death, I’m confident Bosko would have received a heavenly pat on the top of the head from an old friend in transition.
Thanks to everyone who has contacted us, sent cards of condolence and given us so many hugs along our journey. It has made it all so much more calming and gentle to our family during this time of loss.