“Grieving is an expression of gratitude, and that expression doesn’t have to be rushed.”~Carolyn Wells

Loss is something we all deal with at some point in our lives, but 2018 just about took away every ounce of breath in me. The losses just kept coming and my coping mechanisms just seemed to weaken.

During the fall of 2017, my best friend was informed that her cancer had returned and that she was in stage 4 of uterine cancer.  By April 2018 she had endured two different rounds of chemotherapy, lost all of her hair, her kidneys were shutting down and finally, her battle was lost.

This ugly disease called cancer had taken over her body and there was nothing we could do for her.

Little did I know this journey with my friend was preparing me for my next major loss six months later, the loss of my mother.

My mother had been plagued with complications for several years from another evil disease, diabetes.  Diabetes was ruling my mother’s life, she endured swelling from lymphedema, congestive heart failure, liver disease and a laundry list of other health issues

In February 2018 we had a colon cancer scare, but at 82, you really aren’t trying to endure the complications of chemotherapy.  During the summer of 2018, the physicians determined that kidney disease was entering the picture and her kidneys were slowly shutting down.

On October 22, 2018, under the pressure of her family practitioner and nephrologist, we had to make decisions to begin hospice and on October 26^thshe passed peacefully during the middle of the night.

Grieving with Gratitude

Every morning I begin my day with positive affirmations, a daily scripture, and prayer. These words of encouragement have enhanced my soul tremendously and allowed me to press forward with life.

Over the past 10 years, I have created a morning word text groups, Facebook and Instagram posts that are filled with encouragement and motivation.  During my time of loss, I reaped all of the good that I had been sharing with others.  The support was so overwhelming that I had a difficult time keeping up with the phone calls, text messages, Facebook post, and visits. Friends and family traveled from various locations across the country to be with me and my family.

I am so thankful for the circle of friends that I have come in contact with over the years.  They have prayed with and for me and my family.

Save YOUR Life!

We want to believe that our prayers are being heard and that our loved one that we are praying for will come out of the battle with an amazing testimony.  But what if that is not God’s will?  What if God has another plan?  In both of these instances, my friend and my mother were true believers in God’s will and plan.  They were both prepared to take that journey to be with the Lord.  But, what about the person that doesn’t have a support system or a belief system, what do they do?  Who do they call on?  How do they heal?

According to the Very Well Mind, when a support system is not available, you will need to become your own greatest supporter. This will require you being kind to yourself, speaking positivity to yourself and continuous positive re-enforcement.

I am thankful for the time I have had with my two special loved ones and I am grateful to every person that has shown me and my family love and support during our time of grief.  Take time to show love and kindness to your special friends and family, always let them know that they are loved and appreciated.  You will always have the precious memories in your heart to keep them close.

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