It occurred to me that I had never looked up the etymology of the word settle, so I did. I read it to him: from Old English, setlan, from setl, seat—to seat, bring to rest, come to rest. Can parents’ hearts find repose after the death of a child? Perhaps I’m the one to ask the question, I said. Do you feel settled? If you mean something sinking to the bottom, he said, yes, I feel quite settled. Sedimented. What is it that’s sedimented? I asked. Everything about me that used to disturb me, he said. I’m all clear now, pure and perfect, just the way I want. Nothing will come to disturb the
...more
