We Cannot Deny Grief

How Matthew delt with the loss of his father who was buried at sea

When I lost my mother, twenty-five years ago, a deep sadness enveloped me. I was able to cope with my grief because I was surrounded by family, and then I was able to move on with my life by facing and sharing my grief. Over time, the grief transitioned into an appreciation of her love and all that she had done for me.

Matthew lost his father, the captain, when he was in the East Indies, far from the support of family. Here is how the burial of his father is described in Maritime Master in an Age of Peril: “The captain’s body, sewn into sail material and lead-weighted, slid off the chute and splashed into the ocean. Matthew stumbled his way to the bow and sat on the hatch cover, gazing but not seeing, only now finding the words that had eluded him when he had a chance to say them. Oh Father, I feel your loss in the center of my being. None of us exist by ourselves; we are guided and encouraged by the examples and support of those who love us. I will no longer have you to show me the way. I am so grateful for having had you as my father, especially for these last five years that we have had together at sea.”

It was not until Matthew returned home many months later that he was with his family and able to face his grief. “At the graveyard, Matthew stared at the new headstone honoring the life of his father. A clear image of Captain Nymphas Price appeared with his feet planted comfortably apart on a ship’s deck his knees unconsciously flexing, balancing in unison with the pitch and roll of the ship. His father had a contented look on his face, a slight smile. Then the image faded and disappeared, and Matthew felt the weight of losing his father settle into his soul.”

Grave marker for Nymphas and Hannah Price at the Old Falmouth Burying Ground

The poem which is partially buried:

Although in different climes, their bodies lie,

Their souls united, soar above the sky,

Where grief and pain and sorrows are unknown

Where songs of joy surround Immanuel’s throne

There with congenial souls, their voices raise

And sing eternal their redeemer’s praise.