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It’s
been about two months since I posted a piece of my writing on this blog. I was
deeply immersed in supporting my sister Inbal on her final journey, which ended
with her death on September 6, 2014.
One
day I will find the words to write about Inbal here. (You can read her obituary here.) Over the last seven years
I’ve on occasion mentioned Inbal and her ongoing challenging of living with
cancer. I don’t recall writing in any significant way about what it has been
like to accompany her way of facing cancer. I kept it mostly separate, except
when it seemed almost inhuman not to mention it. Now, having accompanied her,
being so profoundly involved, and learning as much as I have, and anticipate
continuing to learn, it is a way to reweave my personal experiences and my work
in the world.
The
period of sitting Shiva, the Jewish custom of gathering community for seven
days after someone dies, is over. I am now ready to slowly emerge into the next
phase of my life, and writing about this period is a small step in that
direction.
