A Privilege

These days we sometimes view death as something that can be, and should be, defeated by modern medicine. That is not always the case. Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of sitting with a friend whose condition defied the wonders of modern medicine. Today she breathed her last. She was an amazing lady who accepted her fate without fear. She was ready to meet her Maker who was always a big part of her life. It is not easy to contemplate the end of life. I am grateful for every new day as I have seen many go before me — parents, family, teachers, friends, co-workers and students. One never gets used to people dying and neither do I want to. I don’t want it to be something that just happens and is over. The death of loved ones leaves scars. If the love is deep so are the scars. But scars heal and I can continue to love. Grief comes and goes. The trigger for grief can be anything — a photograph, a song, a word, a favourite perfume. But in between times of grief there is life. Down the track moments of grief are further apart — Christmas or birthdays — and we can prepare ourselves. Grief never stops coming but we learn how to cope. If we have lots of scars we are the lucky ones because scars are a product of lots of love in our life.

Grief never ends but it changes. It’s a passage not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, not a lack of faith. It is the price of love. (Unknown)