A Flood of Grief and Relief- Remembering Stanley Segura 11/17/52 to 10/12/26
A Flood of Grief and Relief
Daniel Segura
10/13/2026
It was raining hard on the Sonoran
the day my family and I said goodbye to my dad.
The dust storm monsoons came
after long periods of heat and dryness
so that the desert groaned
‘cause it had forgotten that the same rain
that uprooted trees, stung our eyes and obscured our views
would nourish;
leading to blossoming life and new growth.
We sighed before stepping out into the torrent
because, while we had put off a lot for days,
the little needs of the everyday still beckoned.
We blinked away the rivulets
running down our faces,
and we sloshed through the sidewalk streams
as we and the Earth realized it was okay
to breathe in the moisture.
And, my misty memory recalled
fun times together
on a pleasant, summer’s day in 1994
on a Kings Island, Ohio, log ride
laughing heartily at soaked crotches
and wiping off sprayed faces not yet lined
by the cares of failing health or sneaking grief
and before riding the big coaster
with new smile lines etching
and dad getting- only- temporarily pinned by the
harness ratcheted down by
clutching reasonable fears
of temporality, velocity and gravity
doing their worst
to our fragile bodies.
The chuckle of that and other
fond recollections
let me refocus
away from the distress of a
dampening spirit and remoistened cheeks.
And, I remembered that
an umbrella was presented
outstretched by those closest-
gladly offering cover and
at least
momentary reprieve.
Still, I had to dodge the puddles
with my nose dripping
but safe
knowing I would not drown for sure...
well, pretty sure.
A few days later, it was only spotty showers
as my dad slipped away calmly
after which
we had moments of intense episodes
huddled together because
always
we could reembrace under that same umbrella
to pause in support and
to exhale under the awning-
comforted.
Even after the main deluge has waned
and blue skies have dawned,
we are a family huddling together with
faces still streaked
and under occasional precipitation
whose impact is clearly evident
but which with each passing day
will seem so much lighter
as we are distracted by new
and fun, reprieve times
across this desert or the next or the next
still assured that he rested loving each of us
and knowing
that to his last peaceful breath,
he was certain
that we loved him.
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