I talk about gratitude often, and I truly do a prayer of gratitude every day.....but honestly, there are times when it is hard to be grateful.....when I have to dig deep and truly think about what I have to be grateful for. But,.....more honesty here, those times are when I wallow in self-pity or have allowed my ego to grow to epic proportions. The truth is, there is always something to be grateful for, even in the darkest of moments.
One of my best friends' mom passed away today, quite suddenly and unexpectedly. My friend was out of town, so she is driving the longest drive of her life tonight......to come home and comfort her father and her children and her brother and bury her mother. I have talked with her, and text her often this evening....hoping in some way to give her comfort. But, sadly I have been in that grief stricken shock myself, and comfort takes its time. Tonight, all those things she said/and didn't say, all those things she did/and didn't do are running through her head and no matter how much I encouraged her to let it all be right now, she won't.
My prayer tonight is that she finds some sort of gratitude to hang on to.......and I know it may seem strange to pray that. But I have found that especially when grieving, if you can begin to think and find gratitude there is a comfort and ease. Gratitude in times of grief lets you know there is still hope, that no matter how bad the pain is, how empty the heart feels, if you can just find one thing to be grateful for, you can hang on......even if it is only by a thread.
Gratitude, tonight I am grateful that my friend spent several hours with her mom yesterday, that they laughed
and each one knew that they were loved. I am grateful she has her children, her dad, her brother and husband and friends who love her.
When I lay my head on my pillow tonight, my gratitude list will be prayed with much love and thankfulness.....
I have much to be grateful for......
Thursday, October 6, 2011
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Jilda, I'm so sorry for your friend and her family.
ReplyDeleteIt is always hard when I read posts like this to say anything as those are only words..and loosing someone suddenly or each otherway..is surely hard.interesting approach with gratitude must try it...
ReplyDeleteI am also very sad for your friend and her family. It must have been a real shock when it happens so suddenly like that. It is always hard to find the right words, but I am sure that your friend was comforted by you keeping in touch with her at this sad time.
ReplyDeleteHugs to your friend and her family.
ReplyDeleteTake care
x
The love you show for your friend is so sweet. The fact that she had spent the previous afternoon with her mother will forever help her.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing a different perspective on getting through grief. Prayers and thoughts for you and your friend's family.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your friend. Losing a parent is hard even when they have lived a long good life. Losing them early is even harder. We need to live each day as if those we love will be gone tomorrow. What a much better world we would have. You are being one of the Lord's chosen by being such a good friend.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful, Jilda.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Lola