This is a simple poem that I wrote to aswage the pain of loss at the time.  It's almost Christmas, and it's truly rough to deal with loss at a time like this. 

For Solveig:

I spied a young sailor,
American I think,
He came in from the ocean,
aboard a long skinny boat.

He took a liking to me,
And I to him,
We had nothing in common,
Just an interest,
He in me and me in him,
and in his country.

I spoke the words,
To gain entrance,
They meant so much then,
Even more now,
And I have him,
Who has been there,
To guide me,
And I him,
In our journey of life.

So many years,
So many lessons,
The classroom of life I think,
Is never closed,
I love America and,
my husband.

I've been dealt cards,
from a challenging deck,
and these cards I have feared,
but fear no more,
for I have my Dex,
my family of underwater gentlemen,
and their ladies,
to comfort me.

Like the sea that surrounds it's fishes,
my submarine family is everpresent,
it constantly surrounds me,
and gives me the oxygen of friendship,
the very breath of life.

And I know it will NEVER exhaust itself.

I AM Nowegian,
I AM strong,
I AM American,
I AM loved,
I AM blessed...

I AM Solveig...

I encourage all that have lost loved ones to chime in on this thread to share a common loss and to pay a joyful tribute. In Seattle, it's snowing like never before... it's glorious... even Ric looks handsome backdropped with the snow! :"

Merry Christmas shipmates!!!