It started out as a normal day. Normal morning. I actually was going to be on time! Class one was normal. Class two was normal. Lunch was awesome! And I was happy.
Class three started.
She is so cute, with her girly dresses, and tights. She's always smiling, her hands always waving. She always has to have a pen in her hand.
As she is waving her left hand, pen zooming with it, something caught my eye. Her wedding ring. It's bigger. It stands out.
And once again, my mind instinctively takes a trip down memory lane.
Only, this memory was not one I was anticipating.
It's just like the movies. Once you start thinking, you can't stop. Once you're there, you're not where you were before. Once that door is cracked, it will swing wide open, and it's hard to turn around.
I'm at the funeral again. Keegan's and Liam's casket were already closed. Tears had been welling in my eyes, and I had already pushed everyone out of my path and booked it out the doors, out the church building, and hid behind a wall. I sobbed... I knew that they wouldn't continue without me, but at that moment, I just needed to be by myself. No hugs. No tears. Just me and the cold air.
People found me and coaxed me back into coming back. I walked slowly. I let the tears stream.
He was there at the door, holding it. He had seen me run. He was a hug that I wanted at the time.
People put their hands on me.
"Please. Don't. Touch. Me." Release.
Next was Mom. She was still beautiful. Her nails were just done. Her hands were stiff, and still soft. Her left hand was over her right. Her ring was bigger. It stood out.
"Jensen, I think you should take her ring."
People began coaxing me.
"No, I can't! That's not right! No."
"You will want it later..."
They lift her stiff soft hand. They are tiny fingers. It takes a little while before they get it off. They hand it to me.
I hold it tight.
And they are there again.
When I saw them for the first time. When the crowd was suffocating. When I saw Daddy. Mom. When I saw Keegan with his basketball teammates. Liam in his brand new suit that was bought for his first time to pass the sacrament.
And I cry.
It's all within seconds.
I still have a lot of life to live. Hopefully anyways. And that's a long time without them. When I think about that, it makes it harder to see the bigger picture.
The road to eternity is a long one. It's a specific one. And the steps must be thorough. There's not shortcuts. There's not breaks. It's just moving on, enduring on, and relying on faith.
It's not easy. Faith is just. Not. Easy.
But it's the only way.
So, that's why I take it.
Not because I'm so great and inspirational. Not because I want people to think I'm so strong. Not because it's easy.
Because there's only one thing that's important to me. And that's to be with them again.
Faith is not the easy road. But it is the road that gets you where you essentially want to go.
Faith is an action. It's a choice.
You can choose to be stronger.
You can choose to start now.
You can choose to change things that you don't like.
Life was not meant to be easy.
Don't choose the easy way out.
Do the hard thing.
Rewards are given to those who work. Those who try. Even better yet, those who stumble and get back up.
I've had to make changes. I've had to let things go. And it was very difficult.
But if you want the prize, you have to be willing to change.
And I know what I want.
"Grief does not change you... It reveals you." -John Greene
Class three started.
She is so cute, with her girly dresses, and tights. She's always smiling, her hands always waving. She always has to have a pen in her hand.
As she is waving her left hand, pen zooming with it, something caught my eye. Her wedding ring. It's bigger. It stands out.
And once again, my mind instinctively takes a trip down memory lane.
Only, this memory was not one I was anticipating.
It's just like the movies. Once you start thinking, you can't stop. Once you're there, you're not where you were before. Once that door is cracked, it will swing wide open, and it's hard to turn around.
..................
I'm at the funeral again. Keegan's and Liam's casket were already closed. Tears had been welling in my eyes, and I had already pushed everyone out of my path and booked it out the doors, out the church building, and hid behind a wall. I sobbed... I knew that they wouldn't continue without me, but at that moment, I just needed to be by myself. No hugs. No tears. Just me and the cold air.
People found me and coaxed me back into coming back. I walked slowly. I let the tears stream.
He was there at the door, holding it. He had seen me run. He was a hug that I wanted at the time.
People put their hands on me.
"Please. Don't. Touch. Me." Release.
Next was Mom. She was still beautiful. Her nails were just done. Her hands were stiff, and still soft. Her left hand was over her right. Her ring was bigger. It stood out.
"Jensen, I think you should take her ring."
People began coaxing me.
"No, I can't! That's not right! No."
"You will want it later..."
They lift her stiff soft hand. They are tiny fingers. It takes a little while before they get it off. They hand it to me.
I hold it tight.
.........................
I force myself to remain in class. It's been almost 7 months. Just face the reality already.
But, that door has already been opened. Just a crack is enough. And they are there again.
When I saw them for the first time. When the crowd was suffocating. When I saw Daddy. Mom. When I saw Keegan with his basketball teammates. Liam in his brand new suit that was bought for his first time to pass the sacrament.
And I cry.
It's all within seconds.
I still have a lot of life to live. Hopefully anyways. And that's a long time without them. When I think about that, it makes it harder to see the bigger picture.
The road to eternity is a long one. It's a specific one. And the steps must be thorough. There's not shortcuts. There's not breaks. It's just moving on, enduring on, and relying on faith.
It's not easy. Faith is just. Not. Easy.
But it's the only way.
So, that's why I take it.
Not because I'm so great and inspirational. Not because I want people to think I'm so strong. Not because it's easy.
Because there's only one thing that's important to me. And that's to be with them again.
Faith is not the easy road. But it is the road that gets you where you essentially want to go.
Faith is an action. It's a choice.
You can choose to be stronger.
You can choose to start now.
You can choose to change things that you don't like.
Life was not meant to be easy.
Don't choose the easy way out.
Do the hard thing.
Rewards are given to those who work. Those who try. Even better yet, those who stumble and get back up.
I've had to make changes. I've had to let things go. And it was very difficult.
But if you want the prize, you have to be willing to change.
And I know what I want.
"Grief does not change you... It reveals you." -John Greene
Thank you for this beautiful description of the waves of grief. Your family is so proud of you.
ReplyDeleteand as you said...some triggers are VERY unexpected (5 months yesterday)
ReplyDelete