<div dir="ltr">Thank you, Ellie, for sharing your beautiful creation. It evokes my grief. How healing tears are.<div><br></div><div>Jann McGuire<br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Oct 30, 2023 at 10:21 AM Milan Hamilton via OE <<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net">oe@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">Thanks Ellie for calling attention to this important work and an authentic way to approach it. But your poem, OMG, thanks for taking us with you on that journey.😎<br id="m_-2892641532798837705lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Oct 30, 2023, at 8:56 AM, Catherine Welch via OE <<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">oe@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div><p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for sending “the Gates of Grief”.  I found this to be a wonderful piece for reflection.  It offers several paths that I had not fully considered.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Catherine Welch</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sent from <a href="https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986" target="_blank">Mail</a> for Windows</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><div style="border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0in 0in"><p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;padding:0in"><b>From: </b><a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">Karen Snyder via OE</a><br><b>Sent: </b>Monday, October 30, 2023 7:34 AM<br><b>To: </b><a href="mailto:elliestock@aol.com" target="_blank">Ellie and Carleton Stock</a><br><b>Cc: </b><a href="mailto:karen.snyder10@gmail.com" target="_blank">Karen Snyder</a>; <a href="mailto:dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">Dialogue@lists</a>; <a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">oe@lists</a><br><b>Subject: </b>Re: [Oe List ...] [Dialogue] Four Gates of Grief</p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Ellie,<u></u><u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">This poem is very fitting relative to the message about the gates of grief. You have shown an amazing sensitivity, intuition and on-point poetic response that speaks to me. I am living today in gratitude for a new day. Thank you.<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Love and peace,<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Karen<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br><br><u></u><u></u></p><blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt"><div><p class="MsoNormal">On Oct 30, 2023, at 7:00 AM, Ellie Stock <<a href="mailto:elliestock@aol.com" target="_blank">elliestock@aol.com</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Hi Karen,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">A preliminary response . . . also attached.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Ellie :)</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:elliestock@aol.com" target="_blank">elliestock@aol.com</a> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I THOUGHT I HAD SHED ALL MY TEARS</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I thought I had shed all my tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a lifetime of tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">drops rivuletting canyons in once smoothe skin,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">cascading into deltas and emptying into a sea of sorrow,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">now parched and dried like</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">my once choking and burning throat.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I thought I had shed all my tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a lifetime of tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">sobs of shock and pain muffled in pillows,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">deep shaking heaves trying to catch breath,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">threatening to suffocate.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I thought I had shed all my tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a lifetime of tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">of hurt and hurting, of remorse for the done and undone,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">the betrayal of and by those close,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">the final separation from loved ones, land, </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">and what is most cherished,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">of sleepless nights and </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">prayers like drops of blood for the sick and dying,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">of births that never were.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">of fading health and dreams.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I thought I had shed all my tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a lifetime of tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">screams and cries of anger, fear, and anguish over</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">the corruption, consumption, and killing fields of </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Earth and all that is in it,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">billions of years extinguishing </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">in the embers and ashes of truth and justice,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">communities and trust shattered,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">innocent suffering,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">sacredness violated, sorrow unbounded,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">lamenting echoing lamenting, looping and looping and looping,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">grief unbearable, unconsolable, overwhelming, numbing,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">dried, vacant eyes staring stoically into the void,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">filled with harpies advertising, urging, encouraging</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">to eat, drink, and be merry.  But</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">how can I sing while mourning in </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">this strange, foreign land?</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I thought I had shed all my tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a lifetime of tears, no more left to be wiped away.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I woke up in the middle of the night,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">anxiously awaiting dawn, but</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">the heavens were weeping, lightning</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">and street lamps the only light,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">cloud-bursting, four winds swirling,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">thundering, torrents and storms of tears,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">piercing the soil and bouncing off asphalt,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">quenching the drought-thirsty  trees losing </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">autumn muted colored leaves, </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">trying to cleanse, to refresh, to renew, to regenerate</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">the parched planet and also</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">piercing my soul, drilling into</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">unbeknown, untapped fossilized tears that melted, trickled,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">moistened eyelids, then gushed,</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">flowing, cleansing and renewing.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">No rainbow but deep gratitude and stillness and</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">a new Covenant with a new day and </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">All that is in it.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Then I calmly reached for a box of Kleenex.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p><div style="margin-left:0.5in"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">ejhs</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="margin-left:0.5in"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">10/30/2023</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div></div><div id="m_-2892641532798837705ydp90731baayahoo_quoted_8849186114"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">On Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 06:53:03 PM CDT, Karen Snyder via Dialogue <<a href="mailto:dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote: </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">This week the Daily Good had an article by Francis Weller called “Drinking the Tears of the World: Grief as Deep Activism”. Weller articulates four gates of grief that I have never known how to acknowledge before:  <u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">1.  Losing someone loved<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">2.  Neglected places of soul such as as a sense of shame and feeling of inadequacy<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">3.  Losses in the world of species, habitats and cultures<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">4.  Loss of community and rituals that keep us connected to our soul<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">With this understanding one realizes that everyone grieves.  I find myself wondering how much anger and hatred in society covers a deeper experience of grieving.  <u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">What is your response to this writing?  <u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:0.5in;margin-bottom:5pt;margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)"><br><br>Peace and love,<br><br>Karen Snyder Troxel_______________________________________________<br>Dialogue mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net</a><br><a href="http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>OE mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:OE@lists.wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">OE@lists.wedgeblade.net</a></span><br><span><a href="http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net" target="_blank">http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net</a></span><br></div></blockquote></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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