Goodbyes are hard. But as my favorite Dr. Seuss quote says, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
Sarah made some chocolate chip cookies to bring to the nursing home for Pop. I think they were a big hit because we watched four of them disappear in the short time we were there!
Pop and Gran have been married for more than sixty-seven years. While Aaron and the kids visited with Pop, Gran and I walked down the hall and into Pop's room. I watched her lovingly straighten and organize Pop's closet. She added some clean clothes she had brought, hung all of the pants together, and took hangers with her for the next set of clothes. While I watched her, I thought, "This is true love. The choice to love, even with the circumstances are less than ideal. She honors those vows she made so many years ago."
As Katherine so eloquently put it years ago, "It's sad to my heart" to say goodbye. It's hard to have to reintroduce yourself over and over and over to a man who used to be as tough as nails and fought in WWII. But what a gift it is to be a part of this family. And if my heart is tender enough to hurt, that's a sign that God's grace is keeping my heart soft.
2 comments:
I'm totally with you on the "good byes are hard" thing. My grandpa had Alzheimer's too, so I know a little bit of that. I can't make it hurt less, but I agree with you that it wouldn't hurt so much if we didn't love people so much, and how good to have people to love.
I can't reach for a real hug, so here's a cyber one. *hug*
~Ruth
p.s. thanks for stopping by the blog and letting me know you're praying, I appreciate it
Amen.
If your heart is open to hurting, it's open to loving.
<3 Edi
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