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MY LIFE IN VIGNETTES

Bow Wave

A bittersweet reflection

bakagaijin
the Challenged
Published in
2 min readAug 16, 2024

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Photo by Michal Janek on Unsplash

We buried Dad last week.

He’d died in January, just a few weeks before his 95th birthday. His ashes had been on my sister’s mantle since the funeral service a few weeks later.

Our family gathered at the grave site in Middlesboro, Kentucky, where my mom, his first wife, was buried. My cousin Carl, a Baptist minister, presided over a short service.

We sang Amazing Grace and then watched as the urn of ashes was sealed in a burial container, placed in the ground near Mom, and covered with rocky brown soil.

Afterward, we gathered at a nearby restaurant for a chance to be together before we dispersed.

The trip home from Kentucky was long and hot. I hate driving, and I hate long road trips. So, it was a relief to get home.

As we were unloading the car, a rainbow formed for us over the house, and I had to smile to myself. I couldn’t help but think it might be a message from beyond.

A shot of the front of my house showing a rainbow.
Photo by the author

Later, I sat by myself and thought about the short trip. I thought of Mom, who had gone ahead several years…

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the Challenged
the Challenged

Published in the Challenged

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bakagaijin
bakagaijin

Written by bakagaijin

Master Inventor and AI Architect. Grew up in Japan, World Traveler. Former Navy Linguist. Interests include Music, Writing, Tech, Travel, and a Better World.

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