‘A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever…’
This is the first line from my Mom’s favorite poem, Endymion by John Keats. I just found this out at her funeral, which was on Tuesday. It makes me sound like we weren’t close, but we were. My sister, who had told a funny story around that poem, had also just found out this was Mom’s favorite poem a few months back. And my other sisters had no idea. My Mom was an open – and closed – book. How can she be both you ask? She was vivacious and social and fun, yet kept her cards/feelings close to her chest. And to God. She was religious, but didn’t burden us with following the faith, she survived some painful experiences, including the loss of two of her grown children, and many years with a fun, but sometimes unmanageable husband, yet she danced through life with a genuine grace, beauty and charm. I think it was the strength of that generation of women (she was in her 97th year when she left us) that has shown us that we can pretty much survive anything compared to what they endured. A true beauty in every way and a wonderful mother. She will be missed. The photos of the sunset were taken the day of her funeral. Just magnificent and colourful. Like her. And the following late afternoon, the sunbeams shining through made me think that she had found her maker, and they were sitting down together for a good ole chinwag. RIP Mom ♥ Elda Walton: July 10, 1921 – Feb 20th, 2018
