sorrow floats

Just finished the latest John Irving, my favourite author. Last night in Twisted River. If you are an avid John Irving reader you come to appreciate, even expect, all of his recurring 'themes', the stuff that becomes as cosy and familiar as a blanket. The bears. The accidents. The wrestling. The amputations. The impressive women. The way of offhandedly announcing someone's demise chapters and chapters beforehand or starting chapters abruptly killing someone off. Never agressive, despite what might happen to the characters. Never cruel but for the cruelty of life itself.

This morning , the phrase 'Sorrow floats' popped up in my head. Maybe because I was feeling sad. I was thinking about my mom.She died now almost a year and a half ago and it feels as if life is racing by so fast there is no time to mourn. As if it still has to hit me.In 'The Hotel New Hampshire' Sorrow is a  labradaor who dies but keeps popping up in the book. Sorrow floats is a metaphore for the sorrow you cannot get rid off, the sad things that can happen in life and are inherent to it.

So yes, sorrow floats.