Hadley Hemmingway, Ernest’s first wife said this of him, according to her biographer:
Meeting Hemmingway at a party in Chicago, she told Alice Sokoloff, was a great ‘explosion into life.’ He was the first person to see deeply into her true nature, and in a rueful irony, he helped her find the strong sense of self that sustained her through their breakup.
I was so struck by this passage. Substitute Jerry and “his death” for “breakup” and you have my husband’s gift to me.
😦
and
🙂
My reaction is similar to Amuirin’s.
Those are wonderful gifts, but like some gifts in life, hard to have to accept in the way in which they are given.
Am & Robin – I realize it sounds bittersweet, maybe because it is, but I continue to uncover so many wonderful gifts my husband gave me that sustain me now, and the worlds he opened to me, like flying and sailing. I don’t know what I am “supposed” to be feeling at this “stage” of grief, but all I feel is gratitude. As I said at the memorial, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world to have had over fifty years with such a man.
I understand the quote well. I had someone very important in my life that made this kind of difference to me…a lasting gift, indeed!
I’m reading a biography of E. Hemmingway now and googled Hadley and your blog came up. What a remarkable woman she was. Nice of her to give Ernie credit. But I think she doesn’t give herself enough credit. I think E. Hemmingway was a complete narcissist. Hadley was vulnerable at the time she met him and got sucked in. I want to learn more about how she survived the breakup and what she did with the rest of her life. His is boring compared – I’m sure!
Susan
Susan, you make me want to learn more about her. I’ll have to do some research, too. I feel much as you do about Hemmingway. I value him for his straightforward writing, though.
Thanks for stopping by.