Snow in Maine

Hanne and Lu
Originally uploaded by bonbayel.

I've been in Maine again this past week, helping Mom after Dad died, and celebrating his life with many family members, including my daughter and sister, who lead me on a long walk in the snow today.

The snow kept us from going to Denmark, ME for a memorial service, but we had such great conversations about memories with those of us who were in Falmouth, and the ones who actually made it to Denmark - and one family that had to turn back because of the snow, and we're planning to remember Dad again this summer at a family reunion.

Dad loved the outdooors, the snow, sailing on Moose Pond in Denmark, ME, hiking and everything else outdoors and about Maine. Now he is free to enjoy all of it, and we remembered Dad on our walk in the snow!

A poem from Henry Van Dyke

Dad met Henry Van Dyke as a teenager hitchhiking to school, and has been very touched by his works. We sang Van Dyke's translation of Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee at his memorial service, and he asked me to read his The Other Wise Man to him just weeks before he died. I found this little poem as a Sierra Club Daily Ray of Hope.

Time is too slow for those who wait,
too swift for those who fear,
too long for those who grieve,
too short for those who rejoice,
but for those who love, time is eternity.
-- Henry Van Dyke