Greetings my beloved friends,

Today, Christians across the globe are celebrating Easter. As one who is deeply rooted in my own Christian tradition, I offer you Easter blessings of abundant hope, resurrection and new life. Alleluia!

It has become a bit of an Easter tradition to share this poem with you. My dad wrote it four years ago - 8 months after his initial diagnosis with stage IV prostate cancer. It wasn't his last Easter with us at that time, but three years ago it was.

I am including both the written version of the poem and a video of my dad reading it a few weeks before his death. He felt it was essential to both see the written poem and to hear it read aloud in order to experience the full meaning of the words.

This poem beautifully conveys the importance of honoring the "holes" in our lives, yet remembering that there is still hope. I especially love the power of the last line that so poignantly reminds us that the holes "are being filled by the futures taking place." 

What are the holes in your life? I pray that all of our holes may be filled by the blessing of futures taking place.

Hope is stronger than fear! Life is stronger than death! Empty holes get filled! Christ is risen!! Alleluia!!

Peace,
Sharon

Sharon Seyfarth Garner, Director

EASTER

This is likely my last Easter here, with you all.

Timothy's on his way back to the conservatory in Cincinnati,
with Jordan and her parents, leaving a brother-sized hole
for Deborah to grow into.

She's driving already, and going to Liberia with Sharon,
if they, indeed, get there, on beyond the mandalas and spiritual growth.

They'll leave Andy with a hole, larger than the size of a Bear, 
to fill for a while.

Luke and Joshua, Chris and Debbie,
may be going to a new home,

eating with old and new friends, working in new places,
playing basketball, taking care of snakes and science,
roaring with laughter.

I have many holes, too,
a cerebral-vascular accident, mild aphasia, right-sided weakness,
high blood-pressure,
permanent pacemaker for bradycardia,
indwelling Foley catheter,
sleep apnea,
stage four prostate cancer, bone metastasis, stabilized with Lupron.

I cry a little.

Practicing on little holes,
I'm getting ready for bigger ones to come.
But they are not empty.
They are being filled by the futures, taking place. 

Leonard H. Seyfarth 
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