In loving memory of Jane

Rick and I were really sad and stunned earlier this week when we heard the news that a long time friend Jane Hearne died unexpectedly.  Over the years we got to enjoy time with Jane and her husband Gene at WV Friends gatherings.  Jane had a quiet strength I always admired.  She reminds me of the sun in Aesops fable, when the sun and the wind compete to see who is stronger, and the sun with its steady warmth wins.  Jane made you want to hear what she had to say, but it was always an invitation. She delighted in sharing about her prolific garden, and time around the dining table with her grandkids. She struck a graceful balance between delighting in the joys of life and a strong stance against what keeps so many from doing so too.   I will miss Jane a lot.  I love imagining her spirit eternally around her garden, and shining through the lives of her kids and grandkids.  You can read her obituary here.

Jane’s daughter Carrie Ella reached out to Rick and me and said she was a long-time reader of the Goat Rope.  So with that I’ll be writing the next installment soon, and inspired by Jane, I’ll try to find that balance between joy and outrage.  The legislature is in town so it might tip the scale a wee bit towards outrage, but I think Jane would understand.