Friday, July 5, 2013

Embracing

Before their trip to the hospital emergency room, there was an embrace.

When my cousin Caron recently became ill with bacterial pneumonia, shivering with chills, she turned to her loving husband Bud with one request: "Please hold me." And he did, warming her momentarily and forever with his embrace.

When life is gently ebbing, the most essential elements remain.

As my friend Mary watches her beloved husband John spend more of his days in deep sleep from which it's increasingly hard to wake him, she lies on top of the covers beside him and holds him, telling him that she loves him. And often, from the depths of slumber, he will say softly the phrase that has defined their relationship from the early playful days of their courtship: "Love you more..."

When bad times come, when life is becoming increasingly tenuous and fragile, we are sustained by a warm embrace and loving words....

Hold me...

I'm here, my love....

I love you...

Love you more....

Like a sweet, familiar song warming our hearts. soothing our souls.

13 comments:

  1. All we really need is that warm embrace when all else feels lost.
    This is most touching, Kathy.

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  2. I held my mother as she slipped away ... a long grueling ordeal from Alzheimer's and Lewy Body dementia. I believe she knew my arms were protecting her, loving her as she died ... for me, it was life affirming .. I hadn't expected that.

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  3. It is beautiful when death can come so gently and lovingly.

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  4. Oh, this left me with a lump in my throat. Absolutely beautiful!

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  5. Oh how we humans love that embrace. We want to be loved and held... Some won't admit it --but that kind of love is within us all.

    I lost a good friend this week to MS. Went to a Celebration of her Life today.... She suffered for years --but always had a smile on her face. At her request, we told crazy stories about her --and her happy life... AND--guess what we sang????? Zip A Dee Doo Dah...... That was her request since she didn't want anyone mourning her death... What a fabulous woman.. Such an inspiration to all. And yes, I would have loved to have held her one more time....

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  6. Beautiful, Kathy. You never wrote truer words.

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  7. Yes, and you have captured it beautifully. You are a marvelous thinker and writer.

    ~Lorna
    _______________________________________


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  8. What a wonderful and touching post and how I hope Rick will do exactly that for me. These words ring so very, very true.

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  9. What comfort there is in a warm hug, or even in holding hands. Your post was heart-rending - but surprisingly joyful. I hope your cousin has recuperated well.

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  10. DEar Kathy, my eyes are swimming in tears after reading your posting. A long-time friend died last evening at 8 pm. Way back in 1967, he offered me the friendship of himself and his family a few months after I left the convent. He was a blessing in my life. Peace.

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  11. Yes so true . These are loving tender times when you only remember the best of each other. To lose a life partner is sooo sad.

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  12. Beautiful. I am so grateful to have my husband in my life. Many times throughout the day, we met in the hall, the kitchen, even on the driveway and he embraces me or gives me a kiss. Such embraces keep me going until the next one.

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