Got a call just a few minutes ago from the brother of the woman I wrote about on September 3. She passed away last night at home with her loved ones around her.
I'm so sorry she's gone, but I'm so happy she didn't have a lot of time to suffer. She'd been in the hospital until last Sunday but she wanted to go home and they called in hospice and she got to go home and finish up the hard job of dying there.
I don't know what happens to us when we die and I don't think anyone does, no matter what they say. We all want to believe that something happens. That we just don't disappear. And isn't that what a lot of religion is all about? The reassurance that we don't just disappear when we die. That our life will still have meaning and that somehow, somewhere, we're still around.
I don't know. But what I do know is that this woman is not hurting or in despair any more. And that her life will not go unmourned and that it did have meaning. She touched my life and my family's life and I'm sure many, many others.
And I'd like to say here that I think hospice is one of the blessings of our community. They are not afraid to face what we will all experience but which we all fear, which is death, and they come in like angels and help the dying and the family members face death with dignity and compassion and comfort. And if that's not a holy task, what is?
I surely hope that my friend got to a place of peace before she took that last breath. I bet she did.
Time to light another candle, and my prayer for this one is a prayer of gratefulness that my friend was able to take off to parts unknown (to us, anyway) and is now a part of the light. That's how I think of her, anyway. As part of the beautiful October light that is shining on us all.
And she is resting in peace.
Could you light one for Granddad too please? His name was Peck Simpkins.
ReplyDeletePeck Simpkins has 7-day burning on my mantle. I hope he had a good life and I hope he had a good death, which is what I would wish for us all.
ReplyDeleteBe well, Juancho. I send my condolences.
Ms. M,
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
You wrote:
I don't know what happens to us when we die and I don't think anyone does, no matter what they say. We all want to believe that something happens. That we just don't disappear. And isn't that what a lot of religion is all about? The reassurance that we don't just disappear when we die. That our life will still have meaning and that somehow, somewhere, we're still around.
One word could sum it up: faith. Too often "religion" takes over and smothers faith, in my opinion, and that can, and many times does, turn people away from God. I find that to be very sad.
You've written a beautiful post, as usual, straight from your heart. You really ought to be writing professionally!
BFF,
Miss T
Thank you for your comments, as always Ms. T. I always feel so READ when you've commented, which of course is the point of this whole thing.
ReplyDeleteI do love to write so much that even if no one ever read my words, I'd still be doing it, but it's so nice to know that someone is.
Wow. I always think about what happens after we die. I hate that I do. I just really want to know. When I was little I would always ask my mom about it and drive her crazy! I'd ask "What will we do ALL the time? Will there be nintendo? Will we have pets?" I still wonder... It just seems like life is so short - I hope I have time to squeeze into it all I want to do! 2 years ago, my granny and an uncle died within a couple weeks of each other - so I bought a few books of what people had written about what happens after death. It was interesting, but I didn't feel like it gave me any answers - but as you say - we can't know until we're there. I just hope and pray it's something nice...
ReplyDeleteIt is SO human to wonder where we go and what happens to us when we die. Part of me thinks we'd all be better off not worrying about it because NO ONE knows and what we do know is that we have this day, this minute. And that's what we would be better off spending our time on than worrying about what will or will not happen when we die.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I think.
My condolences.
ReplyDeletemay her energy reach out in all directions
ReplyDeleteYou know, Ample, I think it does. Absolutely. What a great, great heart she had. I feel such sorrow for her partner. AND the children of her partner that she helped raise. The girl is about to have a baby and I know she hated leaving before she could see that child.
ReplyDelete