Marilyn asked why I included The Arrow and the Song. What does it mean to me and what relevance does it have to Faith. If you're curious too, here's the explanation.
If you are like me, the only part of this poem that you've ever heard are the first two lines. And you probably first heard them spoken by Bugs Bunny during a Saturday morning cartoon. I had no idea who the author was or what the context of the lines were. I was writing an email the other day and decided to use the line about shooting the arrow. Just to make sure that I remembered it correctly, I did a web search and thus discovered The Arrow and the Song. Part of the reason for including this poem is to share the pleasant surprise of discovering such a lovely poem.
It seemed appropriate to include this poem because of its themes of loss and remembrance. What does it mean to be remembered? How do you make a lasting impression upon others? What are the gifts that you leave behind? We have a houseful of material things that belonged to Faith. And yet memories seem more valuable to us right now. Faith's life was a beautiful song that found a resting place in the heart of so many people. Your remembrances will help us, long afterward, to rediscover that song.