Saturday, March 17, 2012

Generous listening

Dad and me in 1949:






















My father died in the morning on St. Patrick's Day in 2003 at age 89. Hard to believe that 9 years have passed. Today I was looking at the autobiography that he completed in 2001 and wrote for his only grandchild, my nephew Lee. I am grateful that my first and last communications with my father were positive. All that remains of my father is love.















A friend forwarded this via email:


































(photo by am, taken late in the day yesterday, looking to the southeast from my porch)

5 comments:

The Solitary Walker said...

'All that remains of my father is love'. I feel that too.

I want to listen more generously. My own listening is sometimes tainted with impatience. I love Remen's thoughts on listening.

So many thanks for this post, am.

Taradharma said...

what a marvelous photo of your father and little newborn you!

I don't know what it's like to lose a parent, yet. I imagine it must feel very strange and lonely at times.

I am doing some active listening with a friend who is losing her father as we speak -- he has begun his dying process and the family is gathered. It's a good reminder, your post, how powerful and important active listening is. Being fully attentive to someone and what they are saying.

Thank you for the good reminder.

am said...

Robert and Taradharma -- You're welcome. Glad to be able to pass those thoughts along by way of this blog.

Anonymous said...

A lovely remembrance, am.

am said...

Thank you, robin andrea. It's a tradition now that this week in March you, bev, and I remember our fathers in our blogs, isn't it? Continuity.