My Sister In Law

I haven't talked much about Tamara here. Truth is, I never met Tamara and until just recently I didn't really even know her.

My basement flooded a few weeks back. Coating the entire floor in about 2'' of water. I filled a 10yard dumpster with the really ruined and sent my reinforcements home. Leaving the rest for me to sort through.

When we moved into this house six years ago we did it rather quickly and with lots of distractions. Moving Scott's father out of the "Witt family house" where Scott grew up and the Witt family grew, loved, and grieved for 30 years and in with us in this house was an undertaking for sure. Loads of boxes were crammed with stuff and piled in the basement to be dealt with "later". That later came with this flood.

I have now gone through every box, Rubbermaid container, Matchbox car holder, and tackle box. I've sorted, purged, cried, laughed, longed and ached. I've read cards from Scott's mother to his father. Book reports that Scott wrote in the sixth grade. Letters from Scott's mother to his sister while she was away (either in the hospital or away at college). Endless amounts of medical transcripts have crossed in front of my face.
But, the best things that these eyes have seen (besides the photos of Scott doing all kinds of things through out his life) were the beautiful words of my sister-in-law Tamara.
Tamara, was a published author and poet. A National Honor Society Member. A straight A Bradley graduate that over came all the obstacles that life put in front of her. Her mind, her heart and her soul never left her even when her body betrayed her and made writing almost impossible. She found ways. She and her brother, they found a way to be heard.
From birth until death, they spoke loudly with whispers.

So many of Tamara's writings spoke to me. Tamara wrote this poem in the late 90's. Long before Scott was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos IV (but a while after her diagnose of EDS IV). Tamara wrote words that would say exactly what I would be feeling almost 20 years later.
I'm thankful for the flood. It gave me my sister-in-law.

The Sun Will Rise
an original poem by Tamara Witt (copyright implied)

Dark, oh, dark is night
When you have known the light.
Feeling so alone
For you've held someone.
Hungry, not for food.
Tending just to brood.
Practicing a smile,
Just once in a while.
Keeping friends away,
Hiding what frowns say.
But you do forget,
Though your sun has set,
Other that can see
Through you easily.
Open your streaming eyes.
Watch. The sun will rise,
Warming the cold space
From one none replace.
This, too, I did see
Though no one showed me.


I'm working my way back from my hiatus and I'm letting Tamara help guide me.