Memories

Yesterday I went to the funeral for the husband of a
good friend.  My heart has ached for a week and every
dayI long to do something to ease the pain I know she is
feeling and yet - this is something I cannot do for her.  
It is the hardest thing - that not knowing what to do,
what to say or how to make things better.  I know in my
 heart that with time, the sadness will ease and the happy
 memories will rise to the surface more and more. 
But I also know that there will be many dark nights
where the bitterness and anger will be overwhelming. 

It's brought back the memories of my sister in law and
all the times we went through when she died.  

The hardest part was that life just kept on going. 
It seemed to me that it shouldn't have... that the world
should have stopped... that something catastrophic had
 happened and it should have changed life for
EVERYONE 
 and the fact that it didn't was so terribly 
confusing to me.   How was I supposed to
 pick up where I had left
off as if nothing had changed - when my whole world
was upside down.... and yet - I was
 expected to do just that.

Amazingly - I did - and with this exact friends' help too. 
She was there for me in a way that no-one else could be.
As someone who had been through a situation so eerily
familiar that only God could have brought us together at
that time and place and for that exact reason - to help me
 through one of the most trying times of my life... and now,
I feel so unprepared to help her through this trial in her life. 
I do not have experience to offer her - but I do have love
and friendship and support and the promise that I will be
here for her every step of the way. I know that God will
give her "Just One Day's Grace" just like He does
me... it's all we get... just enough for one day! 


Meanwhile -   I look around me at all the people going
through their every day routines and wonder just how
many of them stop to appreciate each and every minute
they have together - then wonder if I'm actually
appreciating my minutes the way I should..... I guess
we can all benefit from a little reminder to take time to be
thankful for the people in our lives and make sure we
 let them know how we feel about them!