Contributed by Jim Nelson, consultant to CAIRE Inc. ~
Being a writer, I save a copy of everything that I produce. In my case, that includes short stories, articles, blog posts, and 12 and a half books. About half of the books are novels, of various genres, and the other half are history books about various western Colorado towns. There are histories of the towns themselves, as well as books on a hospital, a hot springs pool and lodge, and a set of caverns and the attendant amusement park. Just for good measure, there is a pictorial of Glenwood Springs, filled with pictures from my camera and that of a good friend who is a real photographer.
I tell you all this because nestled amongst that many thousands of words are some gems that I would like to share with you. This one deals with the fate that awaits all of us, eventually. It may come sooner or later, but it will come to be sure. We can resist it for all we are worth, but eventually it will catch up with us.
Our own demise is truly an unpleasant prospect, but the loss of a loved one can be devastating. This is a piece that I wrote a few years ago about such a loss … I hope that you find it helpful.
SAYING GOODBYE
By Jim Nelson
The time comes for all of us. The years go by and things change and the people that we love grow older.
We don’t say the word because that makes it more real, somehow. We skirt around the subject and we ignore it and we dread the time, but we know that it will come.
We are never ready. Saying goodbye is difficult and it is hurtful, and no one wants to do it. It carries a feeling of finality that we are unwilling to endure. Goodbye is forever.
We cannot go back to the way things were before, because there is a part missing. If you believe that you will someday be reunited, that should be a comfort to you, but it doesn’t help much now.
However, saying goodbye is also a way to say hello! The big hole is still there, and nothing will ever fill it, but the memories of the one who filled that hole for so long are still with you. They are there whenever you need them!
The smiles and the laughter and the hugs are all still there, waiting for you to remember them! It is really as simple as that. The nice thing about memories is that they can actually improve with practice. The more you exercise them, the closer they follow you, the more comfort they bring.
We cannot avoid saying goodbye. It is a part of life that will come to all of us. Saying hello to the memories will help soften the pain. Time does heal. As time passes, the memories will only grow sweeter. Memories are forever too!
Jim Nelson is a double lung transplant recipient and a patient advocate for COPD patients throughout the U.S. and around the world. He and his wife, Mary, are well known patient advocates and brand ambassadors for those organizations who tirelessly endeavor to help those individuals who suffer from a variety of respiratory diseases and the caregivers who support them.
If you have been prescribed oxygen therapy, learn more about CAIRE by visiting www.caireinc.com/patients or calling 1-877-704-0878 to talk to an oxygen advisor. When using any oxygen therapy device please consult the applicable product instructions for use for product indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and detailed safety information.