Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Finding The Light!

Montauk Point Lighthouse - Montauk, New York
May 13, 2013

Last week was not a good week!  It did not begin well, but in light of the way it ended, the irritations that occurred at the beginning were quickly forgotten and totally insignificant.  Valuable lessons learned although being the frail humans that we are, we'll forget again!  

Wednesday evening at choir practice, I joked with my hiking bud about his being afraid he might have to miss his annual hiking trip to Mt LeConte because the much-anticipated birth of granchild number two happened to coincide with those very dates.  Little did he, his wife (also a close friend), or me know that about 4 1/2 hours later that same grandbaby would be delivered almost three months premature by emergency surgery and weigh in right at 2 pounds.  Life stands still.  I don't know what you do, but I pray for strength for them, for that sweet baby, his mom, dad, big brother and mostly, that I'll know how to be a friend.  Baby has stabalized (as much as a 2 pounder can), but mom is still having some problems.  

In the same hospital where mom and baby rest, I spent Sunday afternoon on another floor waiting with family and friends of one of Bill's colleagues and good friend of ours, while she made painful decisions regarding the life of her partner of many years.  The result of a horrific fall down a staircase inside a home they were visiting left that precious life unresponsive.  We love both of these people.  This level of pain is absolutely incomprehensible to me.   As we were driving home, I said to Bill, "we are driving home just like we always do, those people are walking into the restaurant we were passing just like they always do, but our friend's life will never be the same."  

I have strong hope, a deep faith and an unwavering belief that this life is not all there is and so do all the people about whom I've written in this post.  For me, finding the light is all about remembering what is important and what is not. New life begins at a totally unexpected time while we mourn a life that leaves us at a totally unexpected time.  Neither family would say they were "ready."  Life is not predictable - we'd all do well to remind ourselves of that every day and act accordingly!

In whatever way you do this, please hold both of these families in your thoughts and prayers!
It's a long and very winding road ahead of them!

Our journey to healthy eating is an important part of our life and we write here for encouragement and support.  I've found so much more than that in these last three years.  And never has that been more evident than when I sat down to write these words.  Obviously, it's not at all what I'd planned to write about today.  I debated not writing at all, but found that I wanted to share these things with you because you are my friends.   And I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart.


17 comments:

  1. Praying for those families and the medical personnel attending them, Sharon. Sad and unexpected.

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  2. I'm so sorry for your friends' heartaches, Sharon. And I know it's difficult for you and Bill, too, but what a gift your companionship and support must be at this time. I'll keep you all in my thoughts.

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  3. Oh Sharon, I am so sorry to hear this... As much as we want to think otherwise, life does bring us heartache. There's never a guarantee from one minute to the next. As 'positive' as I appear and try to be---my life can also be rough at times. Yesterday was one of those times. There are some serious problems within my family (divorce issues and issues with grandchildren) ---and it is hard to deal with. We all need to depend on God to help us not only through the good times, but also through the bad ones.

    Praying for your friends/families.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  4. I'm sorry for your friends and their heartache, as well as yours. *hugs*

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  5. Well you know I know about the premie baby. Hopefully the baby is far enough along that it will do well. It is hard for grandparents though, because they are doubly burdened--for their children AND their grandchild. And often this is not recognized and they don't get much support.

    Sometimes the best support you can give is to just be a good listener. I know you know this, and you are good at it.

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  6. Oh Sharon, my thoughts and prayers are with your friends and their families. When my father died many years ago a colleague wrote a note that included the phrase "that I wouldn't know any more sorrow." I was touched by it then and I still am. But the phrase that also sticks in my mind is "Man is born to sorrow as the sparks fly upward." There are (many) times that stretch our faith, but I am grateful for friends, family and the shelter of G'd.

    On a totally different note, when can we get together again? I had the best time!

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  7. P.S. Please look at Buttercup's a little later.

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  8. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend and their families. I hope everything goes well.

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  9. I am so sorry to hear about the difficulties of your friends, let alone the residual pain you and Bill are feeling because you care so much. Life is, indeed, fleeting. We are guaranteed nothing but the moment we are in. In the hustle and bustle of life, it's so easy to forget that. Thanks for reminding me. :: lotsa hugs ::

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  10. Sharon,
    I am so sorry for you and your friends. You will all certainly be in my prayers.

    To give the preemies parents a little hope, you can share with them that I only weighed 2 lbs at birth. Back then, they only thing medical science did was put the preemie in an incubator and hope for the best. Most babies didn't survive and those that did were almost always blind because of the oxygen blown in to the incubators to support fragile lungs. I survived along with my vision. Now, doctors know so much more about how to care for the little ones. I know it is hard on all concerned, but I have faith that they will all not only survive but also thrive.
    Lori

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  11. Hi Sharon, any friend of Buttercup's AKA Carol is a friend of mine. I am holding your friends' in prayer.

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  12. So sorry for your friends. Yes, it's a good reminder not to take any day for granted, because you really never know how much time you have.

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  13. I am sorry for your friends' difficult times. You really never know when any moment in time will be deemed "the moment before X happened".

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  14. Aw goodness. I know of 5 ladies (friends and acquaintances) who have had really premie births such as this over the last 2 years, and it is scary...but in all instances, the babies have grown just fine (thank you advanced medical technology).

    So very sorry to hear about Bill's colleague's partner...that is so heartbreaking. I can't even imagine.

    I will keep both in my prayers.

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  15. I am so sorry about Bill's co-worker's partner. That must be rough for the partner to have to make so many decisions. Good that they have both of you.

    I hope that little wee baby makes it. They are in for a roller coaster of emotions. They are also lucky to count you as friend.

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  16. Prayers and good wishes for your friends Sharon. These things weigh heavily on our hearts and leave us feeling so useless. Keep us posted.

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