{Going To The Sun Road}
Fifteen months after my mother’s death, I acknowledge that I am starting to transition or evolve beyond the sadness and stress of losing my parents. Last week, my sister text me to say that she was happy, truly happy. I laughed because I, too, felt the same way. There was no background program processing in my subconscious about Mom and her happiness or safety. I know that Mom is at peace.
I started this blog in an effort to help others as they coped with all the issues surrounding an aging parent. I chronicled our family’s struggle with our mother as her health declined. I shared with you the emotional roller coaster ride that accompanied multiple hospital-stays, cumbersome insurance requirements and the sadness surrounding the decision to call in hospice. I have blogged about funerals, inheritance and my relationship with my siblings. Your response to my thoughts and words has been humbling. Many of you shared with me your own struggles with aging parents and thanked me for being so open and honest.
Now I want to share with you that one day the heaviness on your heart will lift. Everything you do won’t feel like just one more item on your to-do list that needs to be checked off quickly. One day you will think about your parents with love and laughter instead of with sadness and concern. Yes, there will be moments when you forget and think, “I got to call Mom. She won’t believe what just happened” but those times will be met with less sadness. Life will be richer because you know that someday it will end so being sad is limiting.
The "translution" for me has begun. I will share about what it means to be head of the generational train. I will write about what it means to no longer be living under the shadow my parents and the joy and fear that is associated with that. I will blog about my sabbatical that started on August 1 and is going, quite nicely, thank you. I am sure that there will be discussions on health, work, retirement and many other concepts that are part of my aging process. I welcome your thoughts and ideas on aging whether it is about your parents or yourself. The founding idea behind Footsteps is that we learn from those whose footsteps we are following and leave behind a signpost for those behinds us. I hope you continue on the journey with me.
Hugs,
C