In Loving Memory Of

By Doug Forbes

This breathtaking textile art is complements of children in the summer session program at Pacific Oaks School. Roxie attended this Pasadena preschool from ages 3-4. She reveled in the care, comfort and vision of sparkling teachers. And she developed deeply touching friendships with fellow classmates.

Pacific Oaks School children work on “Community Loom”

Titled “Community Loom,” the piece hangs prominently in the POS lobby where it has been dedicated “in loving memory of Roxie Forbes.” The POS community has also dedicated an inordinate amount of time and effort in caring for my wife and I as we navigate petrifying grief.

Thank you, POS. We love you. This is a profoundly moving expression.

The sad thing is, I don’t want to remember Roxie. I want to be forging memories with her. I want her to see this artwork, not be the inspiration for it. I want her to enjoy play dates and monthly Brownies adventures with her POS friends. And my wife and I want to see their parents without our bloodshot eyes or feverish pleas to, somehow, bring our daughter back to life.

But we have no choice.

My particular memories of Roxie now come in the form of vivid dreams, not morning wake-ups of my darling sleepyhead. In fact, I woke up a few days ago having just repeatedly kissed Roxie’s delicious cheeks, only to realize the cruel fiction that it was.

Without community, we would be far more lost than we are. But without Roxie, we will never find our way back to the home where we belong.