On July 15th a student I had the privilege to know this past year, Keegan Sol Fitlow, died in a hiking accident in Greece. She was only nineteen years old. I sat beside water with empty pages hoping I would find the words to write down. Words sometimes fail. I wrote a poem by the water I think for all of us. For those left behind having to make sense of life without her. To have some kind of faith in the unseen. Loss is for the living. Some losses, are harder to process than others. We all go through it at some point. I go to nature to heal. To remember. To trust that those we loved are inside the vibrant colors of our life. We don’t get to hug them but we get to hear them in our hearts. So here is a poem. For Keegan. For Me. For You. For All Of Us. Love, Amy
A Meditation on Loss
by Amy E. Witting
Sit beside me,
dangle your feet,
let the fish nibble at your toes—
and so life goes.
The flow of my constant waters,
evening setting of the sun—
yes, it’s true, their life had just begun.
Stand up now on the dock.
Feel the sturdy roots of your legs,
holding your torso—stretching each bone.
My sweet child is now safe at home.
Look straight across,
trees bending in a gentle breeze.
Place your hand on your tender heart—
now let your own healing start.
Turn around.
Step by step, slowly walk to the sand.
You can trust me now.
Begin to understand.
Those we loved are not lost.
Although always gone too soon,
they transform into the glitters of a rising moon—
a sparkle in a midnight sky,
glistening teardrops when you need to cry.
You ache inside—
how could you not?
Their light was bright;
it is not forgot.
Continue on,
with poets pointing the way,
carrying them inside your heart—
each and every day.
If you need to mourn
and cry and scream,
I’ll be right here in the nearest stream.
Soon you’ll say their name with love and cheer—
for those we lost are always near.
written in memory of Keegan Sol Fitlow
