It is with great sadness and joy that I am sharing this video on Gratitude. The creator of this video talks about gratitude, shows us glorious pictures and reminds us to living each day to it’s greatest fullness.
July 6, 2019 was just such a day of fullness for Mary Byrne Hoffmann. As I continue to live in grief and mourn her having left us, I’d like to share with you how she left us with great joy in her heart.
On that day, Mary Byrne began with with Qigong in Balboa Park with good friends; brunch with her dear friend Maria Theresa Larsen; a good conversation with her son Gavin about lots of things including her excitement at their scheduled trip to see the home we were buying and her happiness at the brightness of his future; she texted our daughter-in-law Staci (mother of Barrington and Kendall); Mary Byrne and I had an afternoon meal and talked about the packing for our move and we were actually having fun packing. Among the many blessings that she knew were in her life were: our upcoming move to a place with a backyard, plants, a view and a more stable financial situation; the publication of “Grammy! Grammy! and the Magic Hat”; the upcoming publication of “How to Do Old”; our scheduled trip back to Ireland for two months; and her deeply felt knowledge that she and I were in the best place together in the 19 years we had know each other. On my 75 birthday she created and printed a book titled “The Roads Les Traveled”. It was a celebration of our many adventures and special moments. Among the highlights were pictures from last year when she and I spent three months together traveling for two months in Ireland and then with visits to Rome, Florence and Granada. Being together 24/7 changed our relationship. As two strong-minded, strong-willed individuals, through this time together, without the distractions and pressures, we learned how to really accepted and cherished our inter-dependance.
I’m so grateful that Mary Byrne’s final moments of consciousness on July 6th were filled with the calm of my voice and the gentleness of my touch as I comforted her while I was calling 911.
For the following 24 days, Mary Byrne received the very best care by the nurses and doctors at Scripps La Jolla. They gave her every opportunity to recover. We were flooded with wishes, hopes and prayers. Gavin and I and other friends and family were at her side. When it was clear that she would not be able to recover from the effects from her massive cerebral hemorrhage, we were able to honor her wishes and say our sad goodbyes.
At 7:30 pm on July 30, 2019, as the sun was setting, Mary Byrne’s physical presence peacefully left us. I’m fortunate to have lots of gratitude to temper my grief. Thanks so much for all your support.
