Days of mourning

What changes have come to pass in my the world since my last (normal) fax on July 5. Mind and body are intact and not in too much pain. I believe I’ve emerged with a new kind of strength.

It’s been good to keep my mother as the focus of the day by going to the daily evening minyan to say kaddish and by writing, for the past week, over 140 thank-you notes to family and friends for their contributions in Nana’s memory or their help during the shiva. I generated them on the computer, but personalized almost every one in some way. Nana was always proud of my writing skills (my prompt and individualized thank your notes for our wedding gifts were the talk of Richmond for months!) and I would not disappoint her in this matter.