Remembering and Goodbyes
Posted by: Loren Coleman on December 7th, 2008
Today, I will remember my mother Anna (shown above, in 1944) who died suddenly earlier this year, with silence here, after this one posting.
I am in California at a private family remembrance service, being held for her on one of the Channel Islands, in the state that she grew to love. I am hopeful I will observe the recently nearly-extinct but now fully recovered Channel Islands fox and the local introduced bison, but no island pygmy mammoths, sadly, in her honor.
As synchronicity would have it, my father died on December 8, 1985, so I shall recall him too, today, although his funeral was years ago, in Decatur, Illinois.
It seems appropriate that this remembering will occur on Sunday, December 7, 2008, Pearl Harbor Day. The date, for my parents’ generation, was their 9/11, of course, before there were 9/11 metaphors. I am happy most Americans and others have healed their wounds with the Japanese, and the Japanese with so many. It is time for other healing today for me.
Intriguingly, both of my parents were very much products of World War II. My Dad served in the U.S. Navy, in the Pacific, during that conflict with Japan. It is no mystery why I was born in Norfolk, Virginia, where my Mom found herself, with her husband having re-enlisted in the Navy after the war.
On Monday and Tuesday, I will be at the Darkness Radio conference on the Queen Mary, which is anchored at Long Beach, California. There, as I have mentioned, I will deliver an illustrated presentation on Sea Serpents at 11:30 am on Monday, December 8, 2008. If you want to drop by to visit, you are my guest.
But today, I will look at the Pacific Ocean and think of other things than marine monsters.
Thank you for understanding.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
Lovely post, Loren. Best wishes.
My father passed away November 23 at the V.A. hospice in Lake City, Florida, after battling lung cancer for nearly two years. Although we knew his cancer was terminal, his sudden deterioration and death was unexpected. He fought it hard, but in the end he just did not have anything left to fight with. At least his death was peaceful, and all four of his living children were at his side.
As I write this my mother is sitting across the room from me, frail, bald, bruised, battling on in her fight against cancer. Thankfully, the doctors expect an eventual cure in her case. But what a toll it has taken.
The Channel Islands are a lovely place for a memorial service, Loren. I wish you and your family the best.
Yes, a very lovely post. As many here know, I currently live in Japan, so this is a very unique day for me in my circumstances.
On this day, I often remember my grandfather, who passed away when I was very young. My grandfather fought in the Pacific theater during World War II and had some truly harrowing experiences there from what I understand. According to my grandmother, he made no secret of his dislike of the Japanese and I often wonder what he would think about his grandson living in Japan, married to a Japanese lady, with a mixed race kid. I’d like to think that rather than rolling over in his grave, he would have kindness and forgiveness in his heart and give me his blessing. On this day, I often find myself wishing that his attitude would have changed.
I just think it is remarkable how much attitudes have changed over the years here in Japan. I have met many Japanese folks who fought in the war, and they have never been anything but kind and gracious with me. Even a lady I once knew who was a resident of Hiroshima at the time of the atomic bomb was so friendly and hospitable. I can’t even imagine what she must have gone through, yet she showed no hard feelings about the event. It is remarkable the extent to which these people have all managed to heal their wounds, embrace peace, and move on, without any feelings of animosity or ill will towards me. I would like to think that in their circumstances, I’d be able to do the same.
Here’s to all those living and gone who were a product of those times, hoping that their wounds heal and that the peace these two nations now share lasts forever.