Like Robert, I (at 84) recall what I was doing when Japan bombed Pearl
Harbor (Playing war against the Germans, complete with trenches and
foxholes in the morning, then "Killing" the hated Japs that afternoon.),
enlisted at 18, served during and after the Korean thing, and worry
endlessly about my grand kids (both married this past summer) and their
offspring. I've also gotten a lesson in elder life as my bride of 53 years
fell and fractured her spine last fall and has been bed-ridden for months.
X-rays show a complete healing, but the nerve damage continues to wrack her
with pain, and limits her mobility to a few hours a day. The last month as
she has improved, I've been able to sneak in a few hours of substitute
teaching a couple of times a week... mostly K and Grades 1 & 2. This is
what keeps me young at heart! 😇 (Schools are delighted that someone will
fill these short absences.)
On Sat, Mar 5, 2016 at 3:11 AM, <r.burnette@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Thank you Chris.
>
> I recall reading that Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and
> psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor, once asked a grieving patient
> (a widower) that given the likelihood that one spouse would die first,
> which would he prefer it to be in his particular case. The patient was
> quiet for a time and then answered, "My wife, in order to spare her the
> emotional pain and the loneliness of separation that I am feeling." Frankl
> responded, "Then accept your situation as a gift to her." It gave meaning
> to his grief. I understand what he was saying. I'm glad that she went
> first, especially so given my wife's physical condition.
>
> My wife was a pastor's wife and had a very strong faith in our God. At 82
> she was in very poor physical shape with no hope of getting better. She had
> a botched surgery which exacerbated her problem(s). She finally grew tired
> of the hospital treatments and the anticipated future (long term care) and
> said that she wanted to "go home to Jesus" The family and I assured her
> that although we loved her dearly and would miss her very much, it was OK
> to go. We transferred her to a Hospice unit. She was there for only three
> days. The staff made certain that she was comfortable and pain-free. She
> had her last visits with her family. One afternoon she told her
> granddaughter that she had something to do the following day at 12:30 pm.
> At 11:30 am the next day, she went "home." She missed her "appointment" by
> one hour. We firmly believe that she is in a better place, healed, whole,
> happy, and secure. We expect to meet her again in our appointed times. That
> makes her absence easier to bear. It's still tough at times.
>
> Take time for your loved ones, Chris. Together time is a precious gift,
> too often selfishly, heedlessly squandered.
>
> Be blessed,
> Robert
>
> P.S. Armageddon (World War 3?) is prophesied, Chris. I believe that it
> will come to pass, just as hundreds of other Biblical prophesies have done.
>
> ---- ChrisB <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > I agree with you, Robert: perhaps not that there will be Armageddon, but
> that God will provide for us.
>
> > I’m sorry that you lost your wife; I value my wife’s companionship more
> and more because I know that one day something similar will happen to one
> of us.
>
> Chris
>
>
>
> --
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>
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>
--
As much as I hate to "crow", I'm delighted to tell you that my 5-star
reviewed hardcover book for kids, ages 4-to-8,
*The Little Crow Who Could Not CAW
<http://www.amazon.com/Little-Crow-Who-Could-Not-ebook/dp/B01B2028SS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455042958&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+beckrich>,*
is
finally available as an interactive Kindle e-book from Amazon.com.
(P.S. - The Kindle reader is a free app from Amazon that works on PC,
laptops, and most hand-held devices.)
--
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