"In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade"

And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down,

Or cut him til he cried out in his anger and his shame,

I am leaving, I am leaving.

But the fighter still remains.

 

Lie-la-lie ...

 

Today is the one-year anniversary of the sudden death of my mother, Barbara Jean. Yesterday was the two-year anniversary of the birth and death of my grandson, Spencer. I can't help feeling like I got set up with a couple of sharp left jabs, and then leaned into a mean right cross...

 

I'm hardly alone in missing them, though. All of the family misses Mom - although I feel sure that Dad misses her more than any of us do.. And as much as I miss getting to know and love Spencer, I know Amanda misses him in a way the rest of us hardly dare allow ourselves to imagine...

 

Amanda's taken some mighty big blows, but she keeps getting up, which makes me so damn proud - I just can't tell you. Gets it from her Grandpa, I suspect.. Getting up and carrying on after losing your devoted wife of 60 years - that takes a fighting spirit, even if he does it only because he promised her he would..

 

The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel

Done