I'd like to say something awe-inspiring and unforgettable, but that's not likely to happen. So I'll settle for writing something that will hopefully make a little sense. There's been lot of unrest, uncertainty and sorrow around me lately. People I care about have lost loved ones, seen their children diagnosed with debilitating illnesses and conditions that can never be reversed, and been hurt in ways that defy description. Yet, through unimaginable odds, I've seen the power of the human spirit as it attempts to make sense of the unthinkable and still move forward with compassion for others and a sense of purpose in knowing that this life isn't all there is. I've watched them make unbelievable sacrifices for the common good, take stands when they just wanted to give in and give up, and look for the silver lining when there appeared to be nothing but darkness and despair looming ahead.
I've mostly watched from the sidelines not knowing what to say or do that might help. Some journeys in life must be taken alone, but that doesn't mean I haven't been paying attention and taking notes because we're all going to be tested to our limits. Whether we survive or not is up to us. So I guess all I really can say is that hope does spring eternal if our hearts are open to it. But it's still not easy to make it through most any day alone right now. There are obstacles everywhere that can throw us. Something as simple as having my trash bag fall apart and having to clean up a mess can set me off, but it doesn't have to be that way. I could learn to laugh more, love more and be more sensitive to the needs of others. I can look at unpleasant experiences as stepping stones instead of a stumbling blocks. And I can learn to sit back and simply breath when something challenging comes. I might not be able to change the world, but I can certainly make my little corner of it a much better place.
So here we are, almost half way through another month. It's hard to believe how fast times goes by, but I have to admit that the upcoming holiday has been hard for me the past twenty or so years. I can remember what it was like to anticipate being remembered by someone who really cared and doing things for my children when they were little, like creating heart-shaped pink pancakes for breakfast, writing fun notes and decorating dozens of sugar cookies to give to teachers and friends. Even when I was teaching school, I'd take something fun to my classes to help celebrate the day, but things have changed dramatically since I retired.
Not that I don't enjoyed having a little more unencumbered time, but having been alone for over 25 years, and having my children married with families of their own, has left a gap when it comes to this particular holiday. I still bake cookies to take to friends and make sure my kids and grandkids are not forgotten, but it's still one of those days that I almost wish I could sleep through. So I'm hoping to try something different this year. I'm going to text, email or contact on Facebook some of my friend, both male and female, who feel the same way I do. We shouldn't have to forget about love, even if we don't have a certain kind of it in our lives. So, here's to all the single people who are still young enough at heart to want the right kind of love. We may not find it in this life, but I do believe that a life lived with love and compassion for others has not been lived in vain, and we will receive some kind compensation in the life to come.
