Saturday's Sayings - Grief's River: "Swimming in Hope's Channels"

Saturday's Sayings

Grief's River: 

"Swimming in Hope's Channels"

Missing someone can get easier every
day because even though it's one day 
further from the last time you saw
your loved one, it's one day closer to
the next time you will.


~~~

You want to wash yourself 

in earth, in rocks and grass

What are you supposed to do

with all this loss? 

 ~Margaret Atwood

~picture, via In Memory of Lost Loved Ones

~~~~~

We come at last to the

dark and enter in.

We are given bodies

newly made out of their absence

from one another in the light

of the ordinary day.

We come to the space between

ourselves, the narrow

doorway, and pass through

into the land of the

wholly loved.

~ Wendell Berry

~picture, via Grieving Mothers

~~~~~

There are many things in life 
that no one understands,

like why a life so very young 
can slip right through our hands.

One moment life is perfect 
and the next it falls apart,

leaving us with nothing 
but an eternally aching heart.

Our souls cry out in agony 
amidst the suffering and despair.

We feel the pain and scream, 
"It's just not fair!"

Spirits are now shattered. 
Hearts will never be the same.

We grasp at straws and seek to find 
the one who is to blame.

Horrific as our life now seems, 
one thing remains quite true.

Our little ones have now been freed 
to do things angels do.

They can't recall the suffering 
of those last days they were here.

They remember not the sorrow, 
the hurt, nor the fear.

There are no tears in Heaven. 
No more sorrow. Only Joy.

Heaven is filled with peals of laughter 
of each little girl and boy.

We can only try to imagine, 
in spite of all earthly wrongs,

our little angels are learning 
the words to the Angels' songs.

Amidst the children's laughter 
and their Heavenly play,

there's also more important work 
going on there today.

God is building mansions, 
never taking time to sleep,

for Reunions are being planned, 
yes, even as we weep.

The children gather around Him 
and listen to Him speak,

for He has all the answers 
that they curiously seek.

He tells them for a time, 
in Heaven, they must wait,

and then they can greet us 
at Heaven's pearly gate.

~via In Memory of Lost Loved Ones

~~~~~

"It is frequently said that the grief of a Grieving Mother is the most intense grief known. When a child dies, parents feel that a part of them has died, that a vital and core part of them has been ripped away. The grief caused by their child's death is not only painful but profoundly disorienting.....children are not supposed to die. These parents are forced to confront an extremely painful and stressful paradox; they are faced with a situation in which they must deal both with the grief caused by their child's death and with their inherent need to continue to live their own lives as fully as possible. Thus, Grieving parents must deal with the contradictory burden of wanting to be free of this overwhelming pain and yet needing it as a reminder of the child who died.

"Grieving parents continue to be parents of the child who died. They will always feel the empty place in their hearts caused by the child's death; they were, and always will be, the loving father and mother of that child. Yet, these parents have to accept that they will never be able to live their lives with or share their love openly with the child. So they must find ways to hold on to the memories. Many Grieving parents come to learn that 'memories are the precious gifts of the heart...[that they need] these memories and whispers, to help create a sense of inner peace, a closeness.'"

~via Grieving Mothers

~~~~~

My grief is like a river---
I have to let it flow,

But I myself determine 
Just where the banks will go.

Some days the current takes me 
In waves of guilt and pain,

But there are always quiet pools 
Where I can rest again.

I crash on rocks of anger---
My faith seems faint indeed,

But there are other swimmers 
Who know that what I need

Are loving hands to hold me 
When the waters are too swift, 

And someone kind to listen 
When I just seem to drift.

Grief's river is a process 
Of relinquishing the past

By swimming in Hope's channels 
I'll reach the shore at last.

~via In Memory of Lost Loved Ones

~~~~~

In life, it doesn't matter if you're happy or in grief;

your angels are always watching you, 

giving your heart (the) comfort of God's love.

~via TOuGhtS tHoTs N sImPly ThOuGhTs 

~~~~~

~via Beth's Photos

~~~~~

If I knew it would be the last time 
that I'd see you fall asleep,

I would tuck you in more tightly 
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time 
that I see you walk out the door,

I would give you a hug and kiss 
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time 
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,

I would video tape each action and word 
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time, 
I could spare an extra minute or two

to stop and say "I love you," 
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do,

If I knew it would be the last time 
I would be there to share your day,

well I'm sure you'll have so many more, 
so I can let just this one slip away,

For surely there's always tomorrow 
to make up for an oversight,

and we always get a second chance 
to make everything right;

There will always be another day 
to say our "I love you's,"

And certainly there's another chance 
to say our "Anything I can do's?"

But just in case I might be wrong, 
and today is all I get,

I'd like to say how much I love you 
and I hope we never forget,

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, 
young or old alike,

And today may be the last chance you get 
to hold your loved one tight...

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, 
why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes, 
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time 
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss

and you were too busy to grant someone, 
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, 
whisper in their ear,

Tell them how much you love them 
and that you'll always hold them dear.

Take time to say "I'm sorry," 
"Please forgive me," 
"Thank you," 
or, "It's okay."

And if tomorrow never comes, 
you'll have no regrets about today.

~In Memory of Lost Loved Ones

~~~~~

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free

I'm following the path God has laid you see.

I took His hand when I heard His call

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,

To laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way.

I found peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void

Then fill it with remembered joys,

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,

O yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow.

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full, I savored much,

Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,

Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your hearts, and peace to thee,

God wanted me now, He set me free.

~via In Memory of Lost Loved Ones

Title Picture, via In Memory of Lost Loved Ones