May G-d’s great Name be blessed as long as worlds endure

2012-01-01 00.00.00-23The elm tree I planted with my parents in the front yard when I was four. August 21, 2013.

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My mother’s favorite hymn:

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image.2005-07-19.0244645428

Kaddish yatom, the mourner’s prayer. Text in English.

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Mom was stable on Wednesday night, but she woke up on Thursday morning with a fever and bruising on her feet. She refused all her meds. By late afternoon, the fever was 104 degrees, the bruising had reached her thighs, and she was packed in ice. She responded to my father and the pastor when he tried to pray with her, but she no longer responded to my brother when he got there. She died slightly before seven p.m., secure in her faith, and, I believe, knowing that we loved her very much and will always miss her.

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2012-01-01 00.00.00-3The nieces’ artwork for mom, July 2013.

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The sermon text she wanted for her funeral:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. [Romans 5:15]

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Because she said she did not want to remembered only with sadness:

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I am in an airport, trying to get home. I’ll probably be around, thought not sure how talkative I’ll be. I may or may not post — keeping in mind that writing is actually good for me.

Thanks for all your support over the last year of this journey. I’m sure I’ll need it again, in the coming days and weeks.

Please continue discussing KatharineD’s great posts on Ringers, Tolkien fans and Richard Armitage [part 1 and part 2] and check out the Legenda. I imagine I’ll be back before then, but if not, Guylty will be with us again on Tuesday.

Thanks.

~ by Servetus on August 30, 2013.

125 Responses to “May G-d’s great Name be blessed as long as worlds endure”

  1. You are and will be in my thoughts, dear Servetus. So unfortunate you had to leave few days ago. Send you all my hugs.

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  2. I can’t really say anything that will bring comfort to you. So, I’ll say what everyone says. I’m sorry. This sucks. I’ll pray for you and your family. (((hugs)))

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  3. I am so sorry honey, I lost my mother when I was 18. There are no words that I can say that will ease the sadness. May God bless you with healing and may God gently return joy to your soul.

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  4. Dear Servetus, both me and my sister are deeply saddened and you are in our thoughts.

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  5. Dear Servetus I am with you

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  6. Serv, I can’t believe it. I started looking at your post and when I got to the text I suddenly realised where it was heading. I’m so sorry, but I’m glad you had the extended time with your mum right up to so very recently. I’m thinking of you and the rest of your family.

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  7. Blessed be the True Judge. I’ll be making a virtual shiva call; acknowledge me when you will. We know writing soothes and helps you, so there’s no need to apologize if you write. Or if you don’t. Thoughts are with you and your family, especially your nieces.

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  8. I am so sorry, Servetus. Glad your Mother’s suffering is over and you were with her for her last summer, but wish you were by her side at the last. Sending you comfort, as you travel.

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  9. Oh sweetie, I am so sad to read this. *big hugs* You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. And a special one for her …

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  10. My thoughts and heartfelt wishes are with you at this very difficult time. Know in your heart that things would have been much worse for your mom had you not been there to advocate for her during her illness at the last. Please take care of yourself.

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  11. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, dear Servetus.*Hugs*

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  12. You and your family are very much in my thoughts. Sending much love and heartfelt sympathies xx

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  13. Love and hugs! May you and your family be enfolded within comfort of the Presence of the Almighty now and always.

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  14. hugs, hugs, lots of hugs, My dear ((Serv)). Praying that much Grace be out-poured upon you and your family to be your comfort and peace.

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  15. Servetus, My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I’m glad you got to spend the summer with your mom. You were truly devoted to her and I’m sure it brought comfort to her and hopefully it will bring comfort to you too. G-d bless you and your family.

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  16. As your God and mine carry your Mother home, know that I am sending you love. She was your rock and anchor while you were leaving the nest, so were you her rock and anchor as she coming home to rest. My heartfelt sympathies to you and your family. Come back to us when you are ready.
    xoxoxox

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  17. My condolences, Servetus. You are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

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  18. There is nothing really that I can say that will bring comfort and ease your pain right now. Be the strog woman you’ve been for your mom this summer, only this time be strong for yourself and your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. G-d bless. ((hugs))

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  19. You are in my thoughts and in my heart. Wishing you comfort and solace; may your faith strengthen you. May the knowledge that you are valued, welcomed, and indeed loved by your friends give you the confidence and support you will need now. You are in my prayers.

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  20. Oh my dear. Such sad news. My heart goes out to you and your family at this difficult time. Thank you for sharing her favourite hymns and that beautiful verse from Romans 5 – a precious one to me also. May you feel God’s comforting presence with you in the days ahead. Know that you are loved and that our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

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  21. Thank you for sharing your journey with your mom so beautifully. I am so sorry for your loss.

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  22. My most sincere condolences to you and your family.

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  23. My thoughts are with you and your family. What a blessing that you were able to spend so much time with her just recently.

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  24. “Sweet peace conduct his sweet soul to the bosom of good old Abraham.” Thinking of you and yours at this time, Servetus.

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  25. God give you confort darling… I don’t speak english but, here in Brazil, day by day reading about your fight e now watching this beautifull choir, i can feel its pain and i pray for your family… God bless you.

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  26. Oh my darling girl, I am so sorry. My thoughts are with you and your family. Sending you strength across the water. xxx

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  27. take comfort that your mother now walks with the Lord ,all though your sadness at her going will allways be there , be happy for her peace and that she has returned to her maker . .be strong….shed tears for your loss,but give thanks for her life too.
    sending prayers to comfort you and lots of love and hugs
    jane

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  28. I cannot say how sorry I feel for your loss… My thoughts are with you and with your family xxx

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  29. I’m very sorry. My condolences to you and your family, Servetus.

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  30. I send my strengethening hugs (((()))) to you, Servetus.

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  31. Your mother seemed to to have been a strong and beautiful woman. You were blessed by G_d with her. (((Hugs)))

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  32. Blessings, peace and comfort surround you at this very sad loss.

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  33. I’m so sorry for your loss. May you find God’s presence with you as you journey through the time of grief.

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  34. My heartfelt sympathy. I do not know how you feel, but I know how I felt when my own mother passed. Hope you can feel the love and that it will be your anchor and your support during these difficult days.

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  35. I’m so sorry Servetus. My thoughts are with you and your family. Sending you the biggest, strongest, longest hug – I hope knowing you have friends all over the world holding you in their hearts will go a little way to help you through the coming days and weeks.

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  36. Servetus, so sorry to hear of the loss of your mother. Will remember you in my thoughts and meditation. Take good care of yourself.

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  37. Wishing you and your family peace and strength.

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  38. Keeping you covered in prayer.

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  39. (((Hugs))))

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  40. I am so sorry for your loss. As always my thoughts and prayers are with you.

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  41. Deepest sympathies is so in adequate. As Katherine said, so happy your mother had you, and you her, for those precious weeks this summer. You were each other’s strength. Take care and find comfort, Servetus.

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  42. Such a beautiful tree and one that will always bring good memories I think of your mother and family. My thoughts are with you and your family. May you find much comfort in your memories and the love your shared.

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  43. My heart goes out to you Servetus. My condolences to you and your family.

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  44. I’m so sorry for your loss. Hope you find comfort in happy memories…

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  45. Mein tiefstes Mitgefühl gehört Dir und Deiner Familie. Es stellt sich heraus, dass es doch eine gute Idee war, im Sommer nach Hause zu fahren. Für die kommende Zeit wünsche ich Dir viel Kraft, Zeit und Zuversicht. Ich umarme Dich.

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  46. I’m so sorry for the loss of your dear mother, Servetus. My condolences to you and your family.

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  47. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this sad time of your Mother’s passing. Love and Hugs!

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  48. I’m so sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  49. You and your family are in my thoughts, Servetus. Take care.

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  50. Inna lillahi wa innal ilaihi raajioon.
    As we come from Allah , to Him is our return.
    (A prayer said at the time of bereavement and loss).
    I am so sorry to hear of your loss. May Allah give your heart strength, and patience to bear this, and may Allah give you and your family, love, comfort and peace. Ameen.

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  51. The Elm tree, a symbol of Strength and Intuition. A four year old Serv chose well. Remember how strong and perceptive you are, every time you see it. My thoughts and prayers go with you. I’ll be keeping my light on for you, come back soon.

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  52. […] you may have read here,  Servetus’s mother passed away yesterday.  Knowing that many of you would want to reach […]

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  53. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.

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  54. I’m so sorry for your loss. {{{{Servetus}}}}

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  55. You already know how very much I grieve with you over this loss, but it doesn’t hurt to share it again. You are a blessing in my life and in the lives of many others and you are a wonderful, caring daughter who continues to be in my thoughts and prayers. *hugs*

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  56. Allow yourself time to grieve. Know that you did all you could for your mother. Find comfort in the knowledge that others, even strangers, will lift you up until you can be strong again.

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  57. Servetus, My deepest sympathy to you and your family for your loss. Take comfort in the fact you spent this summer with her. In your grief and pain know that we are here to support you during this sad time and the months after. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.(((HUGS)))

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  58. So sorry to hear of your mother’s passing. Prayers and hugs to you and yours

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  59. Dear Servetus, please accept my heartfelt condolences to you and your family for your loss. Thinking of you. *hugs*

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  60. My dear (((friend))) I’m so sorry :*

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  61. I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  62. So very sorry, dear. Wishing you strength and peace. xo

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  63. May her soul rest in peace. Amen.

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  64. […] you may have read here .  Servetus’s mother passed away yesterday.  Knowing that many of you would want to reach […]

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  65. You and your family are in my thoughts. I have tears for you and joy for your mother no longer having to be in pain. *hug*

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  66. יהי זכרה ברוך

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  67. Servetus, I’m so sorry. Wishing you peace, comfort, love and release.

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  68. Wow, just saw this. My uncle died this morning. Very sad times. G-d bless you and your family.

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  69. My deepest condolences to you and your family. May you and your family have all the fortitude, strength and patience in going through the loss.

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  70. My thought are with you, today more than ever. Courage.

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  71. Delurking again to send you my deepest sympathies.

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  72. I’m so sorry to hear this news. Praying for you and your family.

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  73. I´m feeling so sorry for you, Servetus. As a Christian I truly believe in the words of the Holy Bible, John 5: 28, 29. My prayers are with you.

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  74. There are no words to comfort you right now but you, your mother and your family are in my thoughts and I wish you a lot of strength and the ability to allow yourself to grieve.
    Please don’t look only after others, take also care of yourself!!!
    Love and hugs!

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  75. […] ist Servetus Mutter nach langer, schwerer Krankheit gestorben (was sie dazu schreibt, kann man hier nachlesen) und drei befreundete Blogger von Confessions of A Watcher, the armitage effect und […]

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  76. I’m so very sorry for your loss… *hugs*

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  77. My heart goes out to you. Wish you all the strength you need now.

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  78. Thank you for sharing such a painful journey in your life with us. I feel I know your mother a bit in a way. I do believe she was an amazing woman to have raised such a caring soul as you are. My deepest sympathies to you and your family.

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  79. There are no words to comfort you: my deepest condolences to you and your family. You are in my thoughts and prayers at this sad time. Wishing you strength.

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  80. Serv, I will reply to you on my blog; you’ll see why.

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  81. Always here for you. Sending lots of love and support your way. x

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  82. So sorry for your loss. Wishing you strength and peace. Adding my thoughts, prayers, and hugs.

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  83. Servetus, Take care. My deepest, sincerest sympathy on the loss of your mother.

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  84. Oh Servetus, I am so sorry. You and your family have my deepest sympathies. I wish you safety in your travels back home, with future and ongoing peace and comfort for you and yours during this time.

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  85. Dear Servetus,
    I know we just met a few weeks ago and there is not much I can say~ but I want you to know that we are all here at this hard time for you and your family.
    Sending you my strength,
    Michelle~

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  86. So sorry to hear this news Serv. I know how you are feeling I lost my mom 16 years ago and it is so hard. Thinking of you xx

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  87. […] her mother to cancer on Thursday after a long illness.  Servetus shares her grief with us here.   Please give her some love and visit her post to express your […]

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  88. I’m so sorry for your loss. When my mum died my only consolation was that she was finally free from the pain. Thinking of you and your family.

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  89. Many, many blessings to you and your family. If you need anything, please let me know!

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  90. With deepest respect I offer my sincere condolences at the loss of your beloved mother, and I wish you strength in these difficult times. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

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  91. So sorry for you and your family. When you left a week or so ago, it must have been so hard, knowing you probably won’t see her again alive. Reading your accounts of your last summer with your mother makes me even more grateful for every day my own mother is reasonably well.

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  92. I am so sorry for your loss, Servetus.

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  93. She, I am sure, was a blessing to all that knew her. I am so sorry for your loss.

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  94. Baruch dayan haemet…….Hugs

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  95. I am so sorry to hear this. My deepest condolences to you and your family.

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  96. […] Mother of Servetus passed away yesterday. (source)  Our sincerest condolences go out to her and to her family.  They are all in our thoughts and […]

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  97. Servetus, your mother sounds like she was a pretty darned awesome lady. I am so sorry for your loss.

    I thought of your travel schedule yesterday to the Midwest as a lightning / hail storm passed over Chicago (I just made it to LA). I am holding your mother and family in my prayers. xo

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  98. Prayed for you, Servetus. I got tears in my eyes for you and the pain you are dealing with. I care greatly about you! I am very sorry about your mother. I know you have and always will love her. Your bond with her, grace, and the love for her and your family will never break!

    -Brooke

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  99. The one thing I like about genuine love is that it cannot be destroyed. You will get through this.

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  100. I’m a little late reading this. My family and I went out for a sunset cruise on the motorboat earlier this evening and saw a beautiful sunset, and I thought of you and your mom and your dad, and hoped and prayed for peace for all of you. You will be in my thoughts and prayers, my dear. All the best and I hope this difficult time passes as easily as it can. xoxoxoxo

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  101. So very sorry to hear about you much-loved mother, and thank you for sharing your journey with us. I’m mentally sending you some of Thorin’s chain mail for strength. 😉

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  102. Thinking of you and your family. I’m so sorry.

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  103. Please accept my sincere condolences – you and all your family.

    “A woman lives for as long as we carry her inside us, for as long as we carry the harvest of her dreams…her children will carry the weight of her love.” (apols to Brian Patten for amending)

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  104. I’m very sorry for your loss.

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  105. So sorry for your loss … and so glad that you got to spend time together this summer to say what you needed to say. I hope time and the memory of your wonderful mother bring healing.

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  106. Dear Sevetus,

    I am so sorry to hear of your loss, I lost my dear mother and aunt within a few weeks of each other earlier this year. I am still bewildered and shocked. Thinking of you and praying for you at this difficult time.

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  107. My thoughts, my heart and my prayers are there with you Servetus!

    Four years ago this month, I lost my beloved father. So though this experience is different for each person, each child, each daughter. I can with all my heart, tell you that I know and feel your sorrow.

    Never forget that even grief and sorrow are an expression of love and joy can be found in the midst of it! Please feel free to contact me, I would consider it an honor to listen!

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  108. Prayers for you and yours.

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  109. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

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  110. I’m sorry to hear about the sad news…

    My codolences to your and your family.

    Lots of hugs. ❤ ❤ ❤

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  111. Dear Servetus – I wish our minds were bigger and we as humans could understand the concept that time is not linear or chronological, but something flexible, bendable, and sometimes parallel. In that concept, we could hope to meet those, whom we have lost, again and again. Maybe, if we listen and see through our heart, we can feel them close-by?
    Thinking of you and your family! S. x

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  112. I am sorry, that I can only today deliver to you words of grief and sorrow, because of the death of your beloved mother. This is how my unpredictable reality looks like. Unfortunately I don’t know how or whose words these are, because I only know the initials of their author. Once they were handwritten in the letter, which I got during a very hard period of my life. Today, I want to share them with you, in your unimaginable pain and despair. I hope, that you will find there at least some comfort too.
    It was easier to translate it in german:

    „Alles ist in Ordnung…
    Der Tod ist Nichts. Es ist so, als ob ich in das Nachbarzimmer entkommen wäre. Ich bin weiter Ich und du bist Du. Das, was wir für uns gewesen waren, sind wir dasselbe weiter. Nenne mich mit meinem alten Vornamen, sprich zu mir so, wie immer. Ändere den Ton nicht, mache keine ernste und traurige Gesichtsmiene. Lache so, wie wir immer über Witze gelacht haben, die uns beide amüsiert haben. Bete, lächle, denke an mich.
    … Werde meinVorname immer gewöhnlich ausgesprochen, ohne Schattenspur. Das Leben bedeutet dasselbe, was es immer bedeutet hat. Und ist immer gleich, wie es bisher gewesen war; es besteht eine ununterbrochene Dauer. Warum sollte ich aus deinem Herzen verschwinden, obwohl ich nur aus den Augen verschwunden bin? Ich warte auf dich, bis deine Zeit kommt. Ich bin irgendwo in der Nähe, erinnere dich daran. Im Nachbarzimmer oder gleich um die Ecke. Alles in Ordnung…“ (H.S.H.)

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  113. Dear Servetus, I just find out. Words fail but I am sending you a giant hug and all my support. ♥

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  114. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. God bless.

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  115. Dear Servetus, I am so sorry for your loss. You have been admirable and have done so much for her these past months. She would have been proud of you, and comforted.
    I’m sorry, too, that my condolences are belated.
    Thank you for sharing this difficult and very intimate experience with us. You are brave and eloquent indeed.

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  116. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. My condolences to you and your family. I lost my mother 11 years ago and I still miss her and think of her every day.

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  117. I’m so very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and, at least, it’s wonderful to see you have the love and support of so many to help you through.

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  118. I know I’m late but I’m so sorry for your loss Serv! My deepest condolences to you and your family *hugs*

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  119. I only just saw this post, but wanted to pass on my condoleances to you and your family. Really sorry for your loss, Servetus. 😦 All the best. *hugs*

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  120. Thanks to everyone who took a moment to leave a comforting comment here. I appreciated this so much at the time, and looking back now, I appreciate it even more.

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    • You’re welcome. Many of us know how it feels and we’d be horrible human beings if we didn’t try to give you some comfort. As much as I appreciate Richard’s beauty and talents, I will always say that his greatest contribution to our lives has been this worldwide fellowship of those who admire him and delight in his work. Sending you a hug.

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  121. […] particular I was grateful for all of the condolences on this post and regret that I wasn’t able, emotionally, to greet all the delurkers as each of you posted, […]

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  122. […] am sacrificing now,” a vital one for me. I’m particularly sensitive to it because of my mother’s recent death at 71, and because my first cousin, Architect, who held my hand all the way through my mother’s […]

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