Delve Deeply

Change is hard, but beneficial.  The hard part never finds ease and would overwhelm if the beneficial were never considered.  All this coming from a man whose life, career, and, with exception of spouse and home, has been riddled with embraced change.  Loss of any kind slaps us in the face with regularity.  It could the loss of a pet, loss of a job, or harder yet, the loss of a dearly loved friend or family member.  The stinging absence of loved ones can bring blows to our hearts and stomachs, with springs or waterfalls of tears and sorrow flowing, especially in this season.  Were it not for friends and those who love us, choosing to surround us, darkness and angst could press in and consume.

Yes, it is hard for those hurting to enter into the holiday celebrations, yet nothing is better for the soul than entering these times of 'normal'.  It should not be ventured as a means to forget the pain of  loss, or even escape them, but rather to find rescue from potential consumption, a return to 'normal' living, in the moment, with those you care for and who care for you.  It is here where time of remembrance can meet with times of celebration in the midst of pain.  It is not a time of moving on, rather a time of moving forward.

Because I am deeply devoted to the girl of my dreams (my wife), and because I came so close to my demise a decade ago, I know that in my heart and with her, I tried to clearly communicate my desire for her to continue, in joy, after what seemed to be my soon to occur passing.  God, had I departed, had wonderful things still in store for her, with or without me, and thankfully, my life was spared to remain with her, for now.  I am confident if the tables were turned, she would wish the same joys in her absence, and I would find myself struggling to find the joy if pressed to the loss of her, but I would find that joy.  Sure, I don't want to imagine my life without Carrie, and she did not look forward to life without me.  But we were confident that whatever God has planned, she would find her way through while I stepped into eternity in wait for her arrival.  Today, I count my blessings everyday I have her waking beside me, given opportunity to meet and engage my grandson as well as be part of all things that has occurred in my life since that difficult season in my life.

Precious are the remembrances of all we shared with our loved ones through our lives.  Every day, every holiday season we have and had together are rich in love and joy, this heart treasuring the memory of them all. These are the joys that make loss such struggle.  These memories, these seasonal events, these passages these personal, deeply enriching investments fashioned into constructing our hearts for purpose and meaning.  For those who drink deeply from the well of life, deep is the angst of loss.  Brief the time we got to spend with our daughter-in-law's father, but rich and meaningful our times together and we remain thankful for the man who helped raise such a wonderful woman.  I find myself missing Mike's deep laughter and large presence at our family gatherings, and I know his wife Linda misses him every single day.

The next holiday season (yes, I am already ahead of the game thinking about how fast this holiday season has arrived) will come quickly for most of us.  Maybe less IPad and tablet video games and more card and board games filled with discussion would be of more value.  I know I struggled with being overwhelmed with exhaustion this past Thanksgiving, thanks to my retail work schedule.  I felt robbed of my chance to drink deeply with my family and it is costing this soul a lot this season, all because of the retail holiday consumption distractions.

So what is it you need embrace today?  Are you willing to drink deeply from the well of life and times together with a friend or family member?  Who do you know that could use a lift today?  A phone call or visit of friendship to warm their hearts in need?  A card?  (not just a Christmas card either).  A simple delivery of baked goods?  A simple hug?  A moment of care invested to drink deeply the memory of someone special in the life of a friend?  And, don't just stop after the first of January.  Let's delve deeply, drinking in the water of life together, the moving forward and the investing richly in the lives of those we love cherish, in this season and all year long.