Ruth is my middle name, and I think it’s pretty darn appropriate.
Ruth, hanging out in the field, May 2009.
If you’re familiar with the biblical Book of Ruth, you might recall that Ruth became the companion of her mother-in-law, Naomi, after tragedy destroyed their way of life by claiming the lives of the men they loved. As Naomi’s companion, Ruth left her home in Moab to help Naomi return to her native land of Judah. I’m currently living in a new town, in a new home, with my own mother in the wake of my father’s death, and together, we’re putting together the shreds of our lives during a time of great transition. When I started this blog, I was a twenty-two year old recent college grad looking for a job, a husband, and my life’s mission; and my mother was exploring her identity as a new widow. A year later, not much has changed, although my résumé has grown, and my mother and I have both moved farther through the grieving process. We’re both stll trying to fill the hole in our lives that my father used to fill. My dad wasn’t the passive kind of husband/father that is sadly so common in this generation–quite the opposite; I think you can guess that, even a year after his death (d.o.d. Jan. 15, 2009) the hole is still deep.
In the meantime, this blog offers readers what insight I gather as I move farther towards a career path, try my hand in the dating game, and try to glean something meaningful and beautiful out of life in the wake of a devastating loss.
Welcome to Ruth’s Gleanings!
