Bench for Bob, Love Letters, and Legacies

Bob was a retired psychoanalyst, a VNP as he used to say (very nice person!), and in his spare time an extraordinary woodworker. He was a deep listener, sometimes a consoler, and for many, his wisdom was a life line. Julia lived until 102. Her final act of love was written in her will to express her gratitude through carefully selected gifts to family, friends, caretakers, and organizations she cared about. Amy wrote a letter to the world inviting them to marry her husband* when she knew her cancer diagnosis was terminal. Her love letter gave him permission to keep love in his life after she was gone. She taught us all about love and acceptance.

We try to find special ways to share our love, to express how much someone means to us. Sometimes we stumble, and if we aren’t intentional, sometimes we miss an opportunity. Each year Hospice Giving Foundation hosts Love Letter workshops to guide your process of leaving and sharing personal messages. We believe in writing those letters — to say I love you, to give permission to move on, and to ask those you love to honor your wishes. Love letters can be held and read and reread many times; they leave a gift that will be cherished.

Someone who was very close to Bob is also a woodworker. A developing master himself; he carefully crafts, designs, listens to the wood, and creates. Recently he made an entry way bench. It welcomes people to their home, it offers beautifully constructed spaces for essentials; it has strength and gentleness all at once. It was no wonder the creator named it ‘Bench for Bob’.

End of life is never without sadness, pain, or sorrow. But we heal when we find ways to honor, remember, and cherish. Julia did it in the sweetest and most personal way in her estate plan. It is remarkable to read.  HG Foundation is here to help and guide you step by step. We hope you find ways to express your love, your gratitude, and your admiration for the gifts brought to you by those you love. We hope you discover your ‘Bench for Bob’.

With gratitude,

Siobhan Greene
President/CEO

* Amy Krouse Rosenthal died on March 13, 2017, 10 days after the essay, You May Want to Marry My Husband, was published