Thank you, Elissa. Writing it helped me through the day. And I’m asking. Dave Egner?

Thank you, Sondra. In 1979, my childhood pediatrician had a tree planted on Belle Isle in celebration of Craig and me getting married. That was an unusual gesture then. Planting a tribute tree to mark the loss of a loved one, I have found, makes the bereaved and the giver (and, I imagine, the Earth) feel good. A tree is a marker, where it is planted, a sacred space. Especially, in these days of cremation.
One of my essays in Divining begins with a tradition on Pelee Island, which is that friends of the bereaved plant a redbud tree (such beautiful heart-shaped leaves!) when a friend loses a loved one. Our dear Pelee friends, Lynn and Ron Tiessen, planted a redbud tree when Craig lost his mom. The tree flourished. When we sold our cottage, I told the new owners the story. The tree was still there last time I checked (despite it partiallly blocking the view of the lake from the living room). It should be blooming soon.