Losses

Looking back to when I was a child and then a young girl, I never thought of my friends dying.  It was a concept that had no place in my life because it just never happened.  Only the old die, right?  And even that came as a shock and frightened me with it's permanency.  Death is forever and there's no going back and stopping it from happening.

Then came young adulthood and that's really when death impacted me because that's when I lost my grandmother and grandfather.  Once more that shock of permanent loss and how it was difficult to comprehend that the people who had been a huge part of my life were no longer there and never would be again.  Death was making itself noticed now.

In my middle years death hit a few times more, taking away family, friends, or acquaintances.  Too much death, too much pain, too much loss to be ignored.

As old age settled upon me, death became a too common visitor.  I questioned every loss with wondering why them and why not me.  You know, every single person in one's life who passes away takes a piece of your existence with them.  I described it once as being whittled away and that pretty much says it all.  Part of your life on earth was connected to them and, once they're gone, something tangible goes with them.

I heard today that my friend, Jo, has gone into hospice care and we all know what that means.  Her time on earth is just about over and, in her case, she'll leave behind a whole lot of people who love her.  I will always see her as a tall, statuesque lady who was the epitome of kindness and gentleness.  She was always so much fun, too, but it is the kind soul that I'll think of most often.  Jo was a church-goer so I hope her religious beliefs have helped her adjust to leaving.  My belief is that she'll awaken on the other side, wherever that is, and be happy and healthy while she waits for the rest of us to join her.

I hate loss.  We all hate loss.  Old age often brings more of it than we can handle.

Bless you, Jo. Pass softly and gently to that other side and I hope it's as wonderful there as I've always imagined.