It’s been a rough 18 months for my aging mother.First, her younger sister died, probably before her time, of ovarian cancer.Then her husband of 66 years (my father) passed on.He had not been well at all for about 3 years, and so we all considered his death to be a blessing for him.Three months later my mother’s older brother died and a month after that, her final sibling, her older sister passed on.Last month, though, was especially difficult.Her lifelong best friend, Claire, departed from this earth.So within one 18-month period, she lost her position in life as a wife and soul-mate, a helpful sibling, and a beloved friend.
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Right now my mother is sinking into depression – and I guess it’s not surprising.There’s not much left to get excited about.Her children and grandchildren are scattered throughout the country and I imagine that it’s a struggle every day to rationalize why to get out of bed.Yet, she does it.Is it the resiliency of human nature that pushes her along?
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Her experience is giving me a lot to pause and think about.If I should someday be in her situation, would I just stay in bed, draw the covers over my head and essentially call it quits?Or would I be grateful for the opportunity to see another springtime with the daffodils and crocuses in bloom.Today I say that I’ll be grateful for the springtime – but then, isn’t springtime meant to be shared?If the world as you have known it has melted away, then the glory of even a magnificent spring may be lost.
