mourning

Today we mourn the loss of Dottie's husband Dr. James Spradley. He died early this morning as I was taking long drags in the crispness of midnight, the smoke from every puff obscuring the vision around me.

I did not know Jim, only of him. I do know Dottie and the devastation she must feel having taken her life partner in for leg surgery fours week ago, hearing many words of hope and encouragement after some pretty shakey nights in ICU. Today she walked away from the hospital with a plastic bag of his belongings, everything else a simple memory to hold on to until their bond is re-united in the spiritual world.