Monday, December 14, 2009

What Love Can Do for You

We had a bomb drop on our life last week. Jena Strong is right. It can all turn on a dime.

One minute I was washing the dishes and then the phone rang and everything shifted. The rug was ripped right out from under us, leaving us stunned and shaking.

Let me be clear. We are all healthy and whole. What we lost in that instant is the vision of our immediate future – plans we've made. Things we believed to be true and certain are now out of focus and in doubt.

It felt just like this: falling out of a tree or off the jungle gym and landing flat on your back, that terrible constricted moment when all the air leaves your lungs and the system clamps down, that second or two of being unable to breathe.

For a day or so I forgot how to breathe. I'm breathing again but I can still feel the ache of that fall. This is something true about humans, we adjust. The shock wears off and we breathe, bake cookies, fold laundry, begin making plans again.

Saturday night after dinner we talked and talked. The three of us telling the story again, going over the details we remembered best, giving voice to our worst fears and our secret hopes, taking a guess at what will happen next. It was a long, rambling talk and I think we all felt better for it.

That table full of talk reminded us, I think, of how strongly we are tied to each other, reminded us that no matter what life throws at us, we are in it together.

Things are still up in the air. We are learning to live with this particular uncertainty, but there is one thing I am sure of – we will be fine.

That's what love can do for you.

7 comments:

  1. sending prayers and well wishes your way dear one!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So thankful that you're all together.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Holy cow! Thinking of you and sending strong thoughts.

    apathy lounge

    ReplyDelete
  4. In times of uncertainty and feeling of helplessness, being together is the most important thing.
    and freinds.
    sending you good thoughts.
    debbie

    ReplyDelete
  5. I did read of your rug being pulled out from under the week after Mark's dad's funeral. I'm keeping you all in my thoughts. I love reading about the strong bond that the three of you share and imagining you around the table, strong in love and hope. I know that good things are around the corner for your beautiful family. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  6. The essentials don't change--love for and from family. The three of you can weather anything.

    ReplyDelete