I had the great privilege to have supper with a good and dear friends of ours the other night. In sitting and talking we covered many topics and never stayed on one for very long at a time. Just a normal evening with friends. Well as "normal" as it gets with he and I in the same room that is.
Before he left I asked him about my last posting here. I caught him by surprise as I think as he had not had the opportunity to read it yet. I gave him a short summery of what I said and what I was asking for. He thought for a few minutes and we moved on to other topics. As we started to say our goodbyes he looked at me and, quite emotionally, asked me how he was going to "get over this thing" of me dying.
Here, my friend, is my answer. I don't know.
I do know that the Human Spirit, both collectively and individually, is very resilient. It can be beaten, scared, scarred, driven to insanity, made to do the unspeakable, endure the impossible, soar to the highest peak, invent the most remarkable things, love the unlovable, do the impossible, and, given the chance, it will always survive.
That is not to say it will be easy. For loosing a loved one, or a brother from a different mother, is never easy. It leaves holes that can never be filled. We can try and fill them with something else, whether it be material things or something of a more ethereal nature. I am not for sure that they ever can or will be filled. Not even for sure that they should be.
The fact of the matter is that you will survive. In surviving you will be stronger. In being stronger you will able to help those who need your strength. In turn they will be stronger.
I truly don't know the answer to your question. I can only hope that this has helped.
One other thought. A wise man once said that as long as one person remembers you, you are never truly dead. I could never ask for more than that.
Until next time..................
Hello my friend,
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog. So much of what you talk about resonants with me and dealing with chronic pain issues for the past 15 years. Not the same as ALS I know but struggles are struggles. And I have to agree, our hurdles in life do make us stronger. I know that having to slow down because of my chronic illnesses it has shown me that everyone can learn to adapt. I still try to take trips with my daughter, mainly short weekends ones, and I apologized once because we have to take things slow, rest a lot more now... Her remark was one that I think everyone who faces an chronic or lifelong illness should remember, it was , "Well, Mom, look at it this way. We take the slow road and we don't miss any of the unique, interesting and wonderful things along the trip! We get to see more than most other people ever do." And I realized it was true. Having to stop and rest more often, divide up our walking etc has given me so many opportunities that I never would have had to just sit and talk to my daughter and really get to know her as a young adult and to meet so many other interesting people in our travels. And I must say that You and G are definately included in the list of interesting and life long friends that I have met along the way. Love you both!