Thinking of you catspaw...

[lighter]

Hope you're coping OK..... (((kittypaw)))

[cats paw]

lighter,

  Please have the tribe tend to a constant low-burning fire until mid-May, and then on that special evening, it will burn no more, and
  we will have a ceremony.  It will include flowers.   

  Thanks for asking about me- I'm coping ok. 

cats paw   

[lighter]

::gathering smooth stones in a circle, for catspaw's fire::

Tending it till mid May..... when it will burn no more.

(((catspaw)))  The tribes here, waiting for you.

[cats paw]

   The reason I chose mid May is because of my mom's birthday.  She would have been 71.

    I loved her even though she was broken.

cats paw

[Hopalong]

I can relate, Cat...I will celebrate your Mom's existence with you in May...

I feel the same way.

Seeing my ollllllllld 97 y/o Mom slumped, with one side paralysed, is tough.
A few days ago she was happily stumping around a bookstore.

xo
Hops

[Certain Hope]

Dear KittyFoot,

I will remember in May, too... and hope to be with you then to remember together.  And I want to learn to (or remember how to) love despite the broken-ness...

Love,
Carolyn

[seasons]

cats paw

May is beautiful.

Thinking of you.......((seasons))

[cats paw]

bean,

  I much later learned of the common meaning of the term catspaw, but even then, I found it to be appropriate in some ways.  I
  the recent past, I learned of the tale of the monkey duping the cat into pulling chesnuts out of the fire.

  At a later time, I would very much like to detail my chosen name. The main aspect is a literal cat's paw, the second is a carpenter's
  tool, and the third- if I recall - is a small breeze.

  The tribe, and Amazons, refers to some ways of speaking that lighter started quite some time ago.  Other board members have
  joined in at times to use this enjoyable imagery.  If I recall, lighter and changing also engaged in an amusing bard-like discourse at
  one point.

  I'm glad you asked, bean.  As far as the common meaning, I was always trying to pull my mom out of the fire, but I know that 
  when I was born, she did not intentionally set out to have me scoop nuts out of the fire just so my paw would get burned.

  The constant low-burning fire has nothing to do with the tale of the monkey and the cat, however.

   lighter, Carolyn, Hops, seasons- thank you.  All are welcome at mid May.

   Again, bean- I'm glad you asked- and I hope to speak with you again on the board. 
   Oh- and congratulations on your engagement !  I've been meaning to add that to things I want to say as I try to remember the
   recent life events of some of the board members.   

cats paw 

[Leah]

Gentle thoughts of you ((( Cats Paw )))

Love, leah

[Certain Hope]

Dear ((((((Kittyfoot))))))) I feel such reassurance when reading you... thank you.

Love,
Carolyn

[cats paw]

Hello Leah and Carolyn,

   I think now is the time to share this.

   My mother was a different woman the last three days of her life.  She had prayed for salvation, and also received the Anointing of
   the Sick and Communion.

   There was cooperation at her funeral, as there was both a Protestant minister and a Catholic priest.  Imagine that!

   I still will eventually like to talk about her last few days, but it's still too emotional for me to write coherently about.

cats paw

[Certain Hope]

Dear one,

I am amazed and so very thankful to know this. Thank you for sharing that there was a new birth... and a new beginning, not an end. Take all the time necessary and you will find listening ears here.

So much love to you,
Carolyn

[Leah]

Dear ((( Cats Paw )))

Gentle soft tears of joy, fill my eyes and my heart, as you share, of your mother's new life, her new beginning.

Also, of which gives me real hope, for my own mother, of whom, recently, sincere compassion thoughts have filled my heart.

Grateful for you sharing.

My listening heart will await your further time of sharing, as you feel led to do so.

Much love,

Leah

[Hopalong]

Cat,

All you need room for now is love and sorrow, sorrow and love...

xo
Hops

[cats paw]

bean,

  I am sorry that I mispoke, I thought I remembered you writing something a while back about your boyfriend getting you a ring.

  I am sorry that I did not go back to find your original post before I wrote what I did, and that I was carelessness and did not check
  the facts before uttering those ignorant words. 

  What I have admired in you has been your rational way of posting during certain conflicts.

  The low-burning fire refers only to my mom, and I thought the 2nd post I made about it, and the fact that her birthday is in mid
  May, was self-explanatory.

   During a conflict a long time ago, I spoke up about how I felt when I read a poster's writing.  That was my first and last attempt
   at entering into any board conflict.  I admired both your statements and Mud's about conflict during one of the last go-rounds-
   something about not being able to solve insoluble problems?

   After said first and only conflict that I posted about, I also said that what I was so thankful for was that no one at all on the board
   had ever tried to dissuade me from talking to anyone else.  I also said I eventually wanted to be able to talk to everyone on the
   board.  You were one of those people that I had in mind, as well as Sela. 

   I do not know at whose expense or what possible joke a symbolic memorial could be, but I know you must have your reasons, as
   you have basically stated.

   I will respect your wishes, bean, and will not try to exchange thoughts with you by addressing you in the future.  I feel that in
   many ways, it is my loss, and my doing because I was so slow in the past to post to you except for a heartfelt comment about
   understanding ambivalence.

   I will still read what you write, and I wish you well.

cats paw