In Honor of Dad
Dona Palmer, November 24, 2020
Last week was Dads 13th year anniversary of pass-over. I had comforting signs. While walking along the edge of Lake Comus I heard the sound of a crane. I paused to listened and before long there were mini flocks joining a big flock that lasted for about a half hour.
Thinking the magnificent display reliving what happened over Dad’s grave was finished, I asked Siri to play me the sound of cranes in migration; I wanted to be serenaded one more time. And what happened? I chuckled as my iphone cranes called yet more crane families to come from different locations and join together to add to the communal migration.
Later in the week another sign came to me. My dream started by leading Mom out of church to keep her safe from Covid. The setting was probably initiated by news that my cousin Steve, after attending Mass, had just been diagnosed with Covid and gone into ICU.
As the dream proceeded, I walked Mom through the sanctuary into the sacristy where kind Fr. Mac, the old influential priest, greeted us warmly. After taking Mom outside and quietly closing the back door tightly, I turned to take Mom’s hand to help her down the stairs. However, she had already beat me. 100 years old this year, I saw her finishing her run down the cement stair banister and jump into the arms of loved ones.
So, seeing Mom with outstretched arms reminded me that cranes who are tens of thousands of years old have creatively survived by adaptation. Only about 100 years ago, Mom’s age 😊, they adjusted to use corn as their fuel for their communal migration. As scientists’ study social behavior of cranes, I’m confident that for the safety of our flock during this time of Covid, we can adjust.
To my knowledge on both sides of our family only one nurse is currently practicing in the medical field. To get more information about how Covid is personally affecting medical workers’ families I reached outside our family to our bigger family. I contacted people who’ve been friends for 40 years. I checked with John, our retired doctor friend and his wife Jan, a retired nurse.
In asking about their adult children I found their son, Dan and daughter Liza both shower after every work day before they interact with their families. Dan works in the Milwaukee County jail. Numbers are going up among the inmates and a lot of the staff are testing positive as well. The concern and worry for his family is palpable.
I’ve always been touched by Liza’s commitment to the dying and their loved ones. Regarding their doctor daughter Liza, Jan said: “Liza is worn out beyond belief. Her palliative care team of four, of which she is in charge, is doing all Covid referrals and providing the emotional support that the docs can’t do. One day she had 29 referrals, but she’s hanging in there.”
I can’t imagine Dan or Liza bearing their current weights, contracting Covid, or bringing it to their families. I know Liza is especially aware of her responsibilities to her patients in light of her teenage son with type 1 diabetes. So dear ones please spread the word. Especially for Liza and all the dear medical professionals making such profound sacrifices and taking such extraordinary risks for strangers. Let’s act like cranes.
Let’s adapt for the benefit of our species. Let’s follow Center for Disease Control Directives. Frequent hand washing! Masks! Physical distancing! Circulating fresh air! Postponing travel and family gatherings!
A niece, Sarah, just rescued a wounded bard owl that was rehabbed and successfully released. Another sign. It’s time to hear the trumpeting wisdom of ancestors who have shown us the way. Let’s follow like a magnet, their call to self-sacrifice for the common good. Let’s watch out for each other and migrate to a place of safety.
Dona Palmer 11/24/20