She had a lot of brilliant things to say including the importance of her eccentric 4th grade teacher, her fond childhood memories of her family's roaring holiday conversations (do we censor what kids hear more than we should?) a dollhouse that kept her and her sister occupied for years, reminding me of my Fisher Price people. But my favorite anecdote was what she had to say about grief. She lost her partner to pancreatic cancer and she has publicly shared the grief that engulfed her. As a practice, she reads the Book of Job in the Bible nearly every morning. I'm not much a student of the Bible but I appreciated this story. In the Old Testament Job questions God, does not understand suffering, wants an explanation... God responds, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth? ....Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place.." on and on it goes. The parable is a humbling reminder of our smallness and humility. Surrendering to the mystery is one of my most dear spiritual practices.
I was lucky enough to spend it with great company; which multiplies the joy of an already wonderful life affirming evening.
