Derek William Drew died last Tuesday from cancer that he had been battling for years. Finally, at the age of 60 he passed away in a hospice. Donal being a friend provided consultation till the day before he died. The funeral was on Saturday. Donal and Cheri came back from the funeral and were smiling. Derek did not want his funeral to be as an eternal goodbye but something more continuous in a sense. This "happy" funeral idea is far more appealing then mourners dressed in black weeping. I guess I would personally like a liberal funeral. I don't want people depressed at my funeral. I want them to think about the good memories.
Derek has a surviving wife, Gwyneth. Together they helped a particular orphanage in Romania. To continue the support of this orphanage Derek and Gwyneth decided any money given for the funeral will be given to the orphanage. To help Gwyneth me and Cheri came to her house to clean. Gwyneth's upstairs room was cluttered and in a few days visitors were coming to stay in that room. Me, Cheri and Gwyneth's daughter, armed with cleaning chemicals, tackled the cluttered room like true quarterbacks. I vacuumed the first floor as well. People were constantly coming to visit her. Comforting, cleaning and shopping for this widow. The amount of considerate actions by neighbors, friends and family members was so beautiful.
Gwyneth made us tea with biscuits (cookies)... She also kissed my cheek when I left. Today was really gratifying.
Yesterday I defended America! It was the last day of graduate class and the teacher tried to generalize and say that Americans were bad. Or something like that. I gnashed my terrible teeth with the audacity of a genuine patriot and scathed them by saying "Not all Americans are bad". Haha. Not much of a speech but the effect was that they admitted that I was right AND they looked guilty. They forgot there was an American in the room.
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5 comments:
Go team America:)
It's very cool that you are able to go to all of these great places and sit in on some very interesting stuff. I'm sure you have dazzled them with your interest to learn, your hunger for knowledge. I don't think that they would just let any student do this. Good for you. Way to represent:)
I am sorry to hear about the sadness that has entered your life at the moment. How very cool that you could help this woman even for a day, to clean and just be there. These are also important experiences and just as weighty.
You fight for the red white and blue, Laine. These colors don't run. (sorry. old, bad reference)
On top of sitting in lectures and defending the U.S., looking at old books, you are having real life interjections like friends helping friends in times of death. Does this all feel like the same experience to you? Are the independent of eachother? Do you feel like you are having the homestay experience, the classroom experience, the lost at the zoo experience, or does it all mesh together??
Ryan
What cool experiences Laine!
That sounds super generic but i'm serious.
That's really sad about that womans husband but really cool that you got to be one of the people who was there for her.
:) You're awesome and it sounds like you're having a spectacular time! And your writing is great by the way!
Miss and love you!
By the way, in case you get confused, which is possible.
Kathryn is me (Rose) :)
To Mellisa:
That is right I am representing! Abraham Lincoln once said "I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him." It should be man AND woman though.
To Rose:
Aww. I am sure your going to do something great for your Walkabout too. Like fence some great person. You could fence God. What a final presentation that would be. Me, you , and Shay will be sharing a romantic dinner with Chipotle.
To Ryan:
I have never understood the running colors phrase. Each experience has been completely different. Looking at old books to looking neogloboquadrina pachyderma to cleaning a widows house has taught me different values, morals and personal qualities.
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