It has been twenty-five years since I received the news that my mother was being admitted to the hospital due to a previously undiagnosed rare autoimmune disease that was wreaking havoc in her body. Twenty-five years since I sat by her bedside and held her hand. Twenty-five years since she looked into my husband’s eyes and asked him to please take good care of me. Twenty-five years since I kissed her goodnight and told her that I loved her. Twenty-five years since we were summoned to the hospital in the middle of the night and informed that there was nothing
Category: grief
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go…” But maybe this year you just aren’t feeling it. The decorations, the planning, the shopping…it all seems so overwhelming. You are neither merry nor bright. I totally get it. In fact, I wrote about my struggle with “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” six years ago. You are not alone. There are so many reasons why this time of year is hard. Maybe you’re dealing with financial pressure. Or you have some difficult relationship issues causing you anxiety. Perhaps you are grieving the loss of a loved one. Maybe
I am becoming very familiar with the grieving process. When I first learned about the stages of grief back in college, I had absolutely no idea how many times I would go through that process in the years to come. Just within the last 18 months I have lost seven family members and friends. It certainly hasn’t gotten any easier; however, I now recognize it for what it is. I’ve noticed that there is an ebb and flow to grief. At this point in my life, I am more comfortable with embracing the process and “riding the wave.” God is