Bits and Pieces of God
You can learn a lot about living from the dying.
I have a good friend that is very special to me that I have been looking after for just shy of about two years now. She was not well when I first met her; that was why I was designated by the courts to be her guardian. And I took the job very seriously.
In the course of our time together, I had the privilege of learning who she was as a person, how she lived and what she believed. Even though her dementia was increasing exponentially, I was still able to mine a few golden nuggets of truth about life from her. She is now in hospice and her final transition is imminent. We are at the end of our time together. And with all this as a backdrop, I find myself grateful today. Regardless all the things that I did for her, what she did for me was even greater.
She gave me a place to practice my kindness.
I made hundreds, if not thousands of decisions, big and little, on her behalf. With each one, I did what was in her best interest, always. Her needs determined my actions. I was a steward of her safety; I was the director of her happiness. I was the protector of her rights. The more I did it, the better I got at it. In all reality, I only did what I hope someone would do for me someday if I was in the same situation.
She reminded me that we must be of service to all. We need to drop off little bits and pieces of God everywhere we go. She reminded me that despite the size of the mountain before us, with God’s Help, that sucker is coming down. She reminded me just how fulfilling this process actually is. Once she passes, a part of me will go with her. My heart is heavy today. She has been a catalyst for spiritual growth for me and a very good friend. We may bury her soon, but what she taught me will last a lifetime and beyond.
God, thank you for Jan. She’s all yours now.
Thank you
Jim
James A. Francetich is a freelance writer and author. The opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not represent any community based recovery programs, private or public entities or any governmental agencies.