I wondered and went to look for the words and the wiki, as the tone and the words bring up a sense of sadness and loss along with the missing involved with separation, enough to resonate with the "not here but sort of here' feeling that accompanies loss through death.
I thought about the strangeness of things as I watched via an app called Glympse, the progress SonM was making on his 700 mile drive home last week. A moving arrow marking his physical presence on a Google map made it possible for me to view where he was in time on the road and where he stopped for gas. It even marked the path he took to walk into a restaurant where it lost track and mercifully didn't go so far as to say where he was within the building. The connection, which automatically disconnected after a specified time, seemed easy and effortless, creepy and helpful, weirdly close and separate at the same time, utilizing a link I hadn't known existed until it was made available to me through his invitation and a click.
What else is possible? On the other end of such invention and wonder, is the absolute disconnect that comes with death, leaving memories and the material of dreams almost be as vivid as life itself while being far from it.
My brother's been gone for 10 years, and I no longer think of him as often as I used to. This Christmas, however, mention of the Paperbag Caramel Corn he liked to make and dole out in sandwich size ziptop baggies (one bag per family!) brought up sensory memories of the corn along with a strong recollection of the fun loving and stingy parts of his personality.
All that to say, Yes, the chances of connections to loved ones coming back at Christmas are good, as it tends to be one of a few commonly shared set points in a year.
Thanks for posting this, chickelit. From more than 2000 miles away, I wish you the Christmas blessing of light, along with bursts of inspiration, invention and celebration in the year to come!
2 comments:
I wondered and went to look for the words and the wiki, as the tone and the words bring up a sense of sadness and loss along with the missing involved with separation, enough to resonate with the "not here but sort of here' feeling that accompanies loss through death.
I thought about the strangeness of things as I watched via an app called Glympse, the progress SonM was making on his 700 mile drive home last week. A moving arrow marking his physical presence on a Google map made it possible for me to view where he was in time on the road and where he stopped for gas. It even marked the path he took to walk into a restaurant where it lost track and mercifully didn't go so far as to say where he was within the building. The connection, which automatically disconnected after a specified time, seemed easy and effortless, creepy and helpful, weirdly close and separate at the same time, utilizing a link I hadn't known existed until it was made available to me through his invitation and a click.
What else is possible? On the other end of such invention and wonder, is the absolute disconnect that comes with death, leaving memories and the material of dreams almost be as vivid as life itself while being far from it.
My brother's been gone for 10 years, and I no longer think of him as often as I used to. This Christmas, however, mention of the Paperbag Caramel Corn he liked to make and dole out in sandwich size ziptop baggies (one bag per family!) brought up sensory memories of the corn along with a strong recollection of the fun loving and stingy parts of his personality.
All that to say, Yes, the chances of connections to loved ones coming back at Christmas are good, as it tends to be one of a few commonly shared set points in a year.
Thanks for posting this, chickelit. From more than 2000 miles away, I wish you the Christmas blessing of light, along with bursts of inspiration, invention and celebration in the year to come!
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