Try to remember.............

One of my best friends from grade school and junior high just recently lost her mother. Her mother was like my second mom when I was growing up, and she passed away about a month ago. Time goes by so quickly.....seems like only yesterday that I found out about her passing. Today, I opened my email to find out that another great friend of mine just lost HER mother a couple of weeks ago. Isn't it funny that no matter how old we get, losing a loved one, especially a parent, is never easy. When my parents passed away, I was an adult, and it was so tough to deal with. I lost my father first, and then my mom several years later. During the times of those losses, I thought about all the children in the world who don't even have parents, or had lost parents at a very young age. It made me grateful that I had my parents for so long into my adult years. It doesn't make the loss any easier, but it does make you realize that some children would have loved to have their parents into their adulthood. It's so hard to have the right words to say during this time of loss. You want to be there for your friends, but at the same time, you don't want to seem pushy. So, I usually let them know that I'm thinking of them and open my door to them whenever they feel they need someone to talk to. If you've ever lost a loved one, and especially a parent, the thing that has gotten me through all the difficult days is to try to remember the happy times that I had with both of them. I try to remember the funny stories along the way, and that seems to help me......especially if I'm having a particularly bad day. So, to all my friends who have lost a parent, know that I'm right here anytime you need to vent. I guess we're all reaching an age now where losing a parent is "normal"; nonetheless, it doesn't ever make it easier! If you are fortunate enough to still have a parent(s), give them a call and tell them you love them. Or, if you live in the same town, take time to go see them!

Until next time........