12 Comments
User's avatar
Jim Lawler's avatar

Wonderfully written. Your Dad would love that you said this.

Expand full comment
Johanna McCloy's avatar

Thanks Jim 🙏

Expand full comment
Leslie Absher's avatar

Haha yes writing will do that!

Expand full comment
Leslie Absher's avatar

This is so poignant and lovely. I love the juxtaposition between earth quakes and loss, sudden disruptions and then stillness. Everything is alright...for a while. Such a sweet father/daughter portrait.

Expand full comment
Johanna McCloy's avatar

Thank you, Leslie. The earthquake is quite the metaphor, right? And it's exactly what happened. It was interesting to research that earthquake to add to the footnote, and to see that it was indeed over 6 on the Richter scale (6.4). I only realized the metaphor when writing about it. (Writing will do that.)

Expand full comment
Ellen Fagan's avatar

This is such a beautiful, poignant & unique captured moment between you & your dad...a memory to cherish for sure. Loved this endearing peek into your adolescence!

Expand full comment
Johanna McCloy's avatar

Thank you Ellen. 💗

Expand full comment
Ilse's avatar

LOVE this! I want to hear more of your life’s stories - there’s adventure, there’s heart, there’s spirit. We need more stories like this now 🤍

Expand full comment
Johanna McCloy's avatar

Thank you, Ilse! I shall take that to heart. 💗 Really appreciate your feedback.

BTW. This reminds me: for anyone/all reading these comments . . . I invite your general feedback through a short, six-question Reader Survey. The answers are compiled anonymously, so I don't know who submits responses, but it helps me know In This Life readers better, and what they like or want more of.

A link to the survey: https://johannamccloy.substack.com/survey/16938

Expand full comment
John McCloy's avatar

A very special bonding experience you got to have one on one. I'm so happy you did

Expand full comment
Johanna McCloy's avatar

Me too 💗

Expand full comment
John McCloy's avatar

A very special bonding experience you got to have one on one. I'm so happy you did

Expand full comment