Bella Racinez

A quiet Christmas for the house up the street
A daughter lost in November
A father lost in December
Cold weather, cold feelings
A stone world crumbling down around them

Two together, far too soon
More so for one than the other
Suffering solitude
Leading to suffering together

Together
Events brought loved ones together
Better a wedding than a funeral
Will the next time I see you be the next funeral?
Though I suppose it came sooner than we’d hoped so

When do meals stop being dropped off?
When must these neighbors cook for themselves again?
Surely not until after the grieving has stopped

The Church preaches eternal life
Must we live in grief eternally?
Until we can come together again

Together
We were brought together in grief
I wept with them, though daughter left home before I’d been born
Though father I’d only seen on a few holidays
Together, I am faced with questions of grief I hope I can understand
Before my own family must journey beyond without me

What’s next?
We continue to pray
We continue to bring cling wrapped dishes
Even if I don’t have villagers at my door when it’s my turn to grieve
I can at least be at peace
Knowing I helped my own neighbors
In their time of need.

While pursuing her dream career in ophthalmic healthcare, Bella does her best to maintain her creativity and imagination through reading, art, journaling, and any crafty hobby she can get her hands on.