On the death of the beloved
My beloved mother passed away this morning.
Death Notice of Brighid (Brídge) Ennis
On the Death of the Beloved
Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,
Where no storm or might or pain can reach you.
We look towards each other no longer
From the old distance of our names;
Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath,
As close to us as we are to ourselves.
Though we cannot see you with outward eyes,
We know our soul’s gaze is upon your face,
Smiling back at us from within everything
To which we bring our best refinement.
Let us not look for you only in memory,
Where we would grow lonely without you.
You would want us to find you in presence,
Beside us when beauty brightens,
When kindness glows
And music echoes eternal tones.
When orchids brighten the earth,
Darkest winter has turned to spring;
May this dark grief flower with hope
In every heart that loves you.
May you continue to inspire us:
To enter each day with a generous heart.
To serve the call of courage and love
Until we see your beautiful face again
In that land where there is no more separation,
Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,
And where we will never lose you again.
(Extracted from John O’Donohue “On the Death of the Beloved)
I’m so very sorry, Marie.
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Marie, I’m so sorry for you loss.
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Marie – My heart is with you and your family. I am so very sorry for your loss. Feel my arms around you giving you a great big hug. Terri
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I’m so sorry Marie, my thoughts out going out to you and your family. It’s a lovely photo you’ve posted, she looks very happy there.
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Marie,
I am so very, very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. From everything you’ve written, I would have liked to have known your mother. She was a shining light in your life and it shows.
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Marie, I am very sorry to hear this. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings on the loss of one so dear. As always with your website, you challenge us to think about what matters.
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Oh my dear, Marie. I am so so sorry.
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O, Marie, I am so so sorry. She sparkles with her beauty, elegance and poise in your photo. May God comfort you richly during this time.
My prayers and love,
Jan
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so sorry Marie, my thoughts are with you and the family, and prayers for your mum, a poem I put on Auntie’s memorial card, “shed not for her the bitter tear, nor give the heart to vein regret, tis but the casket that lies here, the gem that sparkles fills it yet” x
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I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I will hold you in my heart in the days to come.
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She was a lovely woman who will be greatly missed. I hope you will continue to write about her. WIshing you peace and comfort today and in the coming days. xo
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Marie….I’m so incredibly sorry to hear about the passing of your beloved Mum, and sending love from across the pond. May the beautiful memories of your Mum sustain you and your family in the coming days. Rachel xxxxxxxxxxxx
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I’m very sorry Marie x
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I am so sorry for your loss.
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Marie,
The void you are feeling… I understand the boundless depths of such pain and my heart breaks for you. Absolutely trust in God and when you’re inconsolable, turn to Him as well. Surrender and know that all is well with your Mother’s soul. She is with God.
Love and prayers to you,
Brenda
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So much love to you Marie.
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Marie, my deepest sympathy. You’re in my thoughts and prayers. She is at peace: may you be too.
Maire
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Marie,
So sorry to hear of the passing of your mum, I cannot imagine the sorrow that losing a parent can bring, so my thoughts are with you this evening and throughout the week ahead
xx
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♥ May your heart mend and your memories sustain you.
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So very sorry to hear this news Marie. You and your family are in my prayers. I pray for strength, love, compassion and healing. Know that you are loved and supported by many whom you have cared for so deeply. Love, Debbie
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I’m so sorry Marie. I wish comfort and healing for you and your family. You are in my thoughts.
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I’m so sorry, Marie
I hope the knowledge that your Mum is no longer suffering, is of some comfort to you.
My heart goes out to you… Steph x
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love to you and your family marie, she is at peace and out of her struggle.
lauren
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So sorry at your Mother’s passing.
Hugs xxx
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Oh, Marie. I am so very, very sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
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Thinking of you and your family and sending you all healing thoughts.
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What a lovely woman your mother was. A prayer to ease your sorrow and calm your grieving heart.
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Marie I’m so sorry for your loss; much love to you and your family
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Look to the stars. Her light shines through them. Feel her closeness in that field of diamonds. Marvel. She is among them watching over you. And when one shoots across the sky, she speaks. Nothing will ease the pain but the knowledge that she waits there, until you meet again. My prayers and love to you in this difficult time.
Nancy
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I’m so sorry to hear this Marie. What a beautifully poetic ode to your mum.
Peace be with you and your family.
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So sorry for your loss, Marie.
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That’s a beautiful poem Marie,
xx
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Marie I am so sorry for your loss. I hope that time will help to heal the loss and grief for you and your family.
Sarah
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My Dearest Marie, My heart and soul are with you this morning. I know you so well, and how deeply you are feeling the loss of your dear Mother. Our Parents are our first teachers, but especially our Mothers, our Mothers gave us our Faith.
Faith, Grace of God, Family and your Friend’s love, you will see through this painful time, until we are able to meet our loved ones gone before us again in Eternal life. The poem you posted speaks volumes. I know when I see a butterfly, I think of my Mother. I love you. Cherish this time with your loved ones, remembering your Mum. I love you. I send you big tight hugs. Cathy xoxoxo
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Marie, your love for your mother shines through every word…. today “deep peace of the flowing wave to you, deep peace of the quiet earth”
there is a candle lighting in my kitchen for you
M x
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Dear Marie, I’m so sorry. The picture and the poem are just beautiful. Sending hugs, love, prayers, comfort for your sore heart. xoxo
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Hey Marie, I am very sorry to learn of your mothers passing. I hope you are holding up and are doing alright. It is truly sad that she is gone but you must remember that in many ways despite her physical absence, she is with you. Half of you is made up of her through genetics, your personality and character was largely cultivated by her in your youth and her persona has served as an example for you through the course of your lifetime. She will never be fully gone and therefore by living your life to the fullest and to the best of your ability you honor her memory and her efforts in raising you.
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Marie, I’m very sorry to hear of the loss of your Mum.
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Dear Marie,
I send you my deepest condolences and much love during this very difficult time. Your impact on the world is clear. One just needs to read these notes of support. We’ve counted on you for so long. It’s your turn to lean on us.
Sending love,
AnneMarie
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Dear Marie, I haven’t commented on your recent events I’ve been following on your blog. I am sorry to hear about your Mother, and I think the blog posts, the photo and the poem you posted are beautiful. What I also admire is your relationship with your Mother and the joy you had together.
So I wrote a little tribute to you, please don’t be embarrassed by the compliments: Okay, here it is from my blog: I wish I could post the flowers here, too.
Love, Evelyn Fitzgerald (WiFi Scanning)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Marie Ennis O’Connor is author of the blog Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer, a well-written, thoughtful, caring clubhouse-and-central-hearth for a community of survivors who regularly visit to guest post, comment and get to know others. Marie’s embrace of those outside of her small country, Ireland, reaches bloggers and tweeters from many places who contribute to discussions of disease, death, grief and especially of love, recovery and healing.
The readership she draws is so wide that she stopped posting a blogroll. Instead, she takes time to read other blogs and write about the unique self-expression and information that can be found in them.
As a newcomer to this lively global support group, I have had the great experience of entering a world of talk, chatter, clatter, emotion, guts, gore, acceptance and belonging.
Today, I wish to praise Marie Ennis O’Connor for her steady narration of the profound feelings she is having recently surrounding her mother’s sudden diagnosis of brain cancer. Today, Brighid Ennis, Marie’s mother passed away. With sadness, I will post my praise on her blog, as many others already have.
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Dear Marie, Here is an attempt to post my photos of flowers for your Mother. I don’t know if it will work
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Sorry Marie, I wasn’t able to post the flower photos. Help forum says that only blog author can post photos in comments.
Love, Evelyn
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Dearest Marie:
I am so sorry for your loss. Sending love and comfort from across the pond.
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Marie, I am so sorry. My prayers are with you and your family as you go through this time. Long distance hugs dear Marie. Luann
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Marie,
My deapest sympathy on the loss of your mother. Please know that you and your entire family are in my thoughts and prayers.
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Marie,
I’m so sorry for your loss. I know how much you and your mother meant to each other. It sounds like she was a wonderful mom, and you are a wonderful daughter. My prayers and thoughts go out to you.
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I’m so sorry for your loss Marie. Would you believe my father passed away from his cancer the very same day as your mother? I spent the last week and a half with him, and just came home tonite, a day after the funeral. Losing a parent hurts badly.
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Oh Rachel, my dear, I am so, so sorry to hear this – my thoughts and prayers with you now xxx
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I’m sorry for your loss. may god be with her..
and remember always be strong
cause i believe your mother want you to be strong.
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Reblogged this on Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer and commented:
In memory of my beloved mother who passed away three years ago on this day. Miss you every day Mum.
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I am so very sorry to hear your sad news. A beautiful poem. Poetry can reach to places no one else can. I have always found the poem Remember by Christina Rossetti healing, especially the lines
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
Here is a link. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174266
Again I am so sorry Marie. . Hugs from Cork.
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Thank you so much Tric and for sharing the beautiful Rossetti poem. You are so right, poetry can reach those places mere words can not
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My thoughts are with you on this anniversary. Your mother was a beautiful woman.
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