I was so thankful to hear that you were among those at Jennifer’s side on Saturday as she passed away. We’ve never met, but you played such an important role in her Tuscon life. I can tell from Jennifer’s writings and conversation that your experience, wisdom, friendship, light and grace all were critical and life-giving.

I have no idea if this is still good or if this will find you, but I was taken by the need to try and reach out to you today. I offer you a long and energetic hug and a large trunk full of gratitude. When there’s not much to feel good about what seems to work best is to count blessings. You were such a great blessing to Jennifer.

In the process of searching out a way to contact you I even found some of your poetry on the web. It was a good experience reading both “Ferris Wheel” and “packing” on a day like today. Phrases like “The wind has no need for promises and I’m with the wind now, watching for currents to fly/No Ferris Wheel life for me” have new meaning today. I had spent part of my day making sure that every email between me and Jennifer was preserved (and re-reading most of them too), only to then digest the lines “wondering if stuff can adopt you or take you under wing.” This caused me to laugh/cry, as I probably sought for the words of those remaining emails to take me under wing, perhaps to even paper over the yawning hole of sadness I feel today.

Many thanks for all that you did for Jennifer (and for me also),

Jon

I love your letters so much. You are a wonderful writer and it is touching to hear of your experiences. Reminds me of some of my own when I traveled with three little boys and pregnant with the fourth.

And then I think of the time I had breast cancer and what I felt at the time. I am sorry you have to go through the experience of cancer. It must be quite awful for you at times but you seem to handle it well. I do like it when you say you are feeling grumpy with your caregivers (and probably with yourself.) I wrote a story about my own cancer once and called it “Life Interrupted.”

You have a fortunate sense of humor. Humor is so healing and I hope you will keep it up with more sharing. Keep on laughing, my dear friend.

Love and best wishes.
Char Wykoff
(a friend of Shirley’s)