Losing a loved one has always been difficult. Moving on to a
new life when we are so used to sharing it with another person is a great
challenge. Let us
learn how to cope with life after a loved one was taken away from us and how
we should cherish the people we have now in our lives... before it's too
late. Here's an article inspired by the writings of an unknown writer.
"I
walked into the grocery
store
not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain
of losing my husband of seven years was still too raw. And this grocery store
held so many sweet memories.
He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look
for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking
down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands.
The
measure of love is to love without measure. Do not forget that true love
sets no conditions; it does not calculate nor complain, but simply
love.-Blessed John Paul II |
He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted
to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since
he had passed on. Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.
Standing by
the
meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved
his steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft
green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones,
dropped them in her basket, hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to
go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.
She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but
honestly, at these prices, I don't know."
I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes.
"My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package
in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the
steaks and cherish every moment you have together."
She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the
package in her basket and wheeled away.
Love
is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves
alone - we find it with another.-Thomas Merton |
I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy
products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A
quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I
could always fix myself an ice cream cone.
I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the
front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming
towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest
smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair
as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.
As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes.
"These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long
stemmed yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they will
know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on
my cheek, then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the
roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as
tears clouded my vision.
I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping
and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so
clear. I wasn't alone.
Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes.
He was still with me, and she was his angel.
Time
passes. Memories fade. Feelings change. People leave. But hearts never
forget.
Every day, be thankful for what you have and who you are.
By Tim Pedrosa
No
one falls in love by choice, only by chance. No one stays in love by
chance, only with work. No one falls out of love by chance only by
choice!
|
Tim
|