My father has now been gone for nine days. The world has continued on, scarcely noticing his absence. My own wish is not to resume normal life just yet. I want to stay with my grief, to stay with his memory, for yet some time.
As part of that effort, I've been trying to recite the Mourner's Kaddish each day. I am not Jewish, my father was not Jewish, and yet this feels right to me.
I was pleased to find this short article about the experience of three daughters in saying Kaddish for their father during the first eleven months after his death. My experience won't be the same, since I will not be part of a kehillah. Still, I hope that saying Kaddish will help me to stay for a longer time with my father's presence and memory.
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