40 Comments
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Tom Schell's avatar

Oh my goodness Teri you wrote a masterpiece of hardened emotion. Don't know where you found the strength to write these words. Words of hope. Words of longing. Words of peace and courage. Bless you.

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

Thank you Tom. This one woke me at 1:30am this morning. It taunted me until I finally gave in and got up at 3:30am to write. It spilled out of me.

Pamela Schmid's avatar

So beautiful and moving. The gentleness emanates from that boy. Your words about him will stay with me.

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

He's not a boy anymore. 25years old...and clearly sitting in power. I just want to hug him again.

Pamela Schmid's avatar

A powerful, self-possessed young man. I hope you will be able to hug him one day.

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

from what I remember (vividly) he is a really good hugger. I remember how he just wrapped me up in the giant pillow of himself.

CJ's avatar

Beautiful -- and heartbreaking at the same time. My hope is that the photo came into your life with a higher purpose; that a shared passion for humanity can bring reconnection and unity to three broken but loving hearts. 💜💜💜

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

I'm hoping somehow he gets a copy of this article and reaches out.

Nancy Elder's avatar

I love his smile. And his face. And his demeanor. What a lovely boy.

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

He's a special one.

Vicky Niemann's avatar

This touched my heart. 💕

Lightonecandle resists's avatar

Could you possibly write one of these things without pulling tears to my eyes and my heart swelling all up?? Rainy. Like a rainy day. Jeez

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

@Lightonecandle resists - I can’t help it. I have so many contradictory emotions running through me these days. Thanks for sharing tears with me. it’s always better to cry in community.

Lightonecandle resists's avatar

Keep em coming, shoog. I need to feel the better parts of my humanity.

Lisa's avatar

Beautifully written! Thank you for sharing his story!

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

thank you, I do believe this is some of my best writing. the symbolism and extended metaphor here really surprised me as it came out.

Sarah. Just Add Hyperfocus's avatar

Just - WOW! 💜🤗💜

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

that's what I thought! thanks for always reading Sarah. I appreciate you.

Sarah. Just Add Hyperfocus's avatar

☺️

Adrienne Webster's avatar

I'm crying.

Nancy E. Holroyd, RN's avatar

Oh my goodness, Teri! What a story of resistance.

Shruthi Vidhya Sundaram's avatar

It suddenly feels like you were always meant to write these stories Teri. Your words have so much power and being...gosh! I hope he gets to meet you again someday and both of you get to hug each other!

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

Thank you Shruthi. This certainly feels like the most important book-writing project I have ever taken on. I’ve published seven books. and all the others feel like training for this one.

Eddie Burns's avatar

What an amazing story ❤️. Beautifully written too. I can't imagine the emotions you and hobbit are having

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

thank you Eddie. we are feeling ALL the feelz over here. so so many.

Elizabeth Barnesco's avatar

“Exquisitely stubborn young man” — this brought the tears. I am in awe of him, of you, dear Teri Leigh, and of all Minnesota Resisters 💙💙💙

Dani's avatar

Your words have stayed with me most of the day. As a mother who is also estranged from her 26-year-old son (also since about the time he turned 18), my heart can feel into the energy behind what you wrote. A powerful synchronicity -- it is his solar return today, so he's been on my heart. Estrangements are never simple and are rarely discussed in ways that feel healing. I'm learning from you here. I'm sending your heart a hug and my deepest gratitude for what you've shared. It reached a part of me that needed care today. Thank you. xx

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

I wrote this at 3am this morning. It had been stirring in me all day yesterday. And I had to make sure my husband would be okay with it. I’ve since read it about a dozen times today. Each time I read it, I feel a tad bit closer to Rainy. Remembering him more than I have in years. Somehow, I’m not missing him. I’m feeling inspired by him. Happy for him. And hoping he keeps living his best life because in that video it seemed like he was.

I appreciate that you can understand parent-adult/child estrangement. It’s more common than the world knows. And it’s more complex than anyone can understand.

Dani's avatar

Tears here. Witnessing the beauty in the heartbreak. I love that the words which flowed like living water from your heart at 3 AM are also feeding you. What a gift to feel closer to Rainy through this. ❤️‍🩹 And it takes so much grief work to get to the place of peacefully loving from a distance. Honoring you. 🙏💜🦋✨

Michele Wood's avatar

Wow this gave me chills. Estranged but familiar. Unsure with possibility. No expectations amid reassuring goodness. This was intimate and poignant Teri. Thank you. May you all be safe. Blessed are those who resist peacefully.

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

what a deeply thoughtful comment Michele. It’s like you know me or something 😉

Chris's avatar

Oh my, Teri. Thank you for sharing this and your connection to this amazing man.

What I don’t understand is why Minnesota’s own police are using tear gas and flash bangs on its own citizens. After all they’ve been through. 😢

When we were in Vancouver in the fall, we saw people in vests talking to people in the street (there were a lot of homeless there) and they had on what looked like police vests only they said “Peace Officer” on them. I think we need a “Peace Force” in the U.S.

Also, show us a picture of those cookies! I’d love to see them.

Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

here are the cookies.