So much has changed but yet nothing has changed at all

[kayc]

On 3/26/2017 at 5:46 AM, ohsosad said:

"Acceptance sounds like a passive stance, but it's become the hardest work of my life."  Written by a woman who died of ALS days later.

That is one of the most profound things I've heard someone say in quite some time.  I don't think there's anything passive about acceptance.  I think it takes all the work in the world, everything we can muster.

[kayc]

22 hours ago, Marg M said:

 

Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception would be made in my case.  William Saroyan

I've always been a  big reader, but years ago,  when I thought I possibly was going to die young (to me), I had the little book where Saroyan said this in.  I seem to remember it as being small and it hit home with me.  Saroyan had just been given the kiss of death and being the writer that he was, it came out as very powerful to me and must be what many people think.  It was only yesterday I remember those terrible crow calls and animal calls that Billy would sit on the couch and make with his collection of "calls," and I would think, "your aggravating the heck out of us on purpose but one day I will wish I could hear them."  And, it was just yesterday.  Time to me is no more.  

 

This also speaks to me profoundly.  Both the quote by Saroyan...which in truth we seem to live as if our life will always be.  I wonder if we knew the days we had left if we'd live it differently, with more purpose.
And also what you wrote about "your aggravating the heck out of us on purpose but one day I will wish I could hear them."  Oh how true!  How differently we see things from this, the other side of death, after we have lost them.

[kayc]

19 hours ago, AB3 said:

I don't really think any of us thought death would enter our lives or more so the lives of the people we love the most. I know like many others here thought that there was no way that my fiance would die....that couldn't possibly happen to me....life wouldn't be that cruel. But here I am....here we all are. Life is cruel and we aren't exempted from its cruelty. I believe I was blinded by love....how can any of us not be. My fiance knew his time was limited but I didn't. He even said a few months prior that he doesn't have as much time as others.....I didn't listen or more so I didn't want to. But we all signed the invisible contract when we fell in love with our soulmates.....we agree to take the good and the bad, we agree to love someone unconditionally, and we unconsciously agree to love one another till death do us part. Death is inevitable and with love comes death at some point. It could have been us to have gone before our partners but they has to be the ones to go first. Either way we would eventually be separated.

I like to believe that the partner that goes first was chosen to make us more comfortable when we go. In other words they will make our transition easier and more peaceful. 

This is also quite profound.  You all are such deep thinkers here.  It seems all we go through makes us deeper...

[iPraiseHim]

6 hours ago, kayc said:

This is also quite profound.  You all are such deep thinkers here.  It seems all we go through makes us deeper...

This grief walk does cause each of us to pause and reflect just what happened and how are we to live now.I find myself being more introspective about this journey and what is out purpose in all of this.

Christian comment... 

 I read-listen to  scripture regularly and came across the conversation Jesus had with the centurion.  The centurion knew to ask Jesus for healing for one of his household because he recognized authority (Jesus) and knew he had the ability.  Jesus mentioned that most of the Jewish people didn't recognize His authority. .... I too, forget to recognize Jesus and His authority.

This is the advent season and pondering how Jesus knew his death was imminent and yet willingly, humbly, submitted to the Father's will, to suffer, die, and pay for our sins.  The wages of sin is death. We have all experienced death on so many levels here.  Yet, there is Resurrection and Redemption for all of those who believe.  "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief."

For me it is the only thing that makes sense in this dimension in time.

I recall the last few months before she passed that we had a conversation about death and dying. I talked about my brother passing away in his sleep and she thought death would not be that easy for her. She thought she would struggle with it like everything else in her life. She said the one exception was us finding each other, falling in love and being happily married for over 25 years.

I always prayed for God to be merciful to her and that every day I would display my love for her more each day.  She knew that and was amazed about it.  I believe God was merciful to her because the ravages of the Type two Diabetes, complications, allopathic medical protocol, dialysis, and the weakening of her body took such a toll on her.   It was a total and unexpected shock for me but for her a welcome relief from pain, weakness, and poor quality of life.   I can accept it now but it has taken me a long time and much, tears, crying, and prayers.  - Shalom      

[AB3]

17 hours ago, iPraiseHim said:

I always prayed for God to be merciful to her and that every day I would display my love for her more each day.  She knew that and was amazed about it.  I believe God was merciful to her because the ravages of the Type two Diabetes, complications, allopathic medical protocol, dialysis, and the weakening of her body took such a toll on her.   It was a total and unexpected shock for me but for her a welcome relief from pain, weakness, and poor quality of life.   I can accept it now but it has taken me a long time and much, tears, crying, and prayers.  - Shalom      

This is something I always ponder myself. Every day I prayed to God to heal my fiance and let him fullfill his purpose....which at the time I thought was his dreams of going further with his music. I prayed for his health and his happiness, not realizing how deeply he suffered. It took me a while to realize that God did what was best for him and that his purpose wasn't what I thought it was. He had fulfilled his purpose according to God, and God did what was best for him which was to end his pain and suffering. I can no longer question him, as he is the only one in control and only he knows what is best for us.