Monday, November 9, 2015

No Man is an Island

Four years ago, I discovered a wonderful singing couple named Joey and Rory, and wrote about their album here. I have followed their lives ever since, via their website, and by reading Rory’s beautiful blog. I rejoiced at the birth of their daughter Indiana. And now I cry along with many, many others as Joey’s life is slipping away. When the baby was three months old, the doctor found cervical cancer. That was in May 2014, and now the end is drawing near. I don’t know her, but I care deeply about this woman and this family. Often now his blog won’t come up for a few minutes, and there is a message that it could be due to capacity problems. So many people visiting and writing the most heartfelt words. Other people just like me who don’t know these people but feel their pain and sadness so deeply. 

No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend's
Or of thine own were:
Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; 
It tolls for thee. 
John Donne

11 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing that. They have a wonderfully supportive family.

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  2. I remember first seeing this couple on the duets show on one of the country tv stations and thinking what a wonderful, caring couple they were, not to mention the singing. Recently read about her illness and feel so sorry for them. And you're right we're all diminished by this death.

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  3. So sad hearing this, Nan. So sorry. It is a most appropriate poem. Thank you for sharing it here.

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  4. Nan, I feel the same way; it breaks my heart.

    Kinga

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    1. I am so pleased to hear from you. I was going to email just the other day but didn't get to it. I will soon.

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  5. OH NO! I have loved Joey and Rory (I stumbled across them by accident shortly after they were discovered) for years. I didn't know she was dying. This breaks my heart... Thank you for sharing - the poem is lovely. Also a reminder that our time here is short - enjoy every second.

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  6. I saw this on the news tonight. Oh Nan, this is so incredibly sad! Thank you for this post and having the poem by John Donne with it.

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  7. I've just gone through Rory's entire blog, re-reading posts I've already read. It breaks my heart to see what they're going through. The cervical cancer spread to her colon. Cancer is such an awful, awful disease! I have a friend who has a son who's been battling brain cancer for a couple of years now. The most recent MRI shows that the tumor has grown 3x in size in the past month and they can't use a gamma knife to remove it. All they can do is more chemo and radiation. So, so sad...

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  8. I am sorry. So young. We become friends virtually these days and it is almost like losing a real life friend when such as this happens.

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  9. I have the.best.readers. Thank you for all your words. We are all kindred spirits, for sure.

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  10. Like so many others I feel a kinship for Joey and Rory. They are the sort of folks one would like to find living next door. My son introduced me to their music several years ago.
    So sad--she is too young to leave her family.

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