Sea glass is one of my favorite treasures to collect on the beach. It is a piece of broken and discarded glass that has been battered by storms and waves. The process has transformed the broken shard into something beautiful.
Perhaps you can relate to this. You feel like Alzheimer’s broke you and the one you love into jagged pieces and then tossed you into the sea. There is a vast ocean that a caregiver must survive. You feel the heavy weight of bearing the load of a caregiver as your feet sink into the ocean floor. The under toll of grief threatens to drag you out to sea. Waves of emotions batter you as you struggle to get to shore. These waves are coming from ever changing directions. A small one brings fear. A larger one crashes over your head almost knocking you off your feet with sorrow. A peacefulness will gently ripple by leaving sadness in its wake. The others bring anger, frustration and on rare occasions joy.
The storms and waves will transform you. You will be a different person when you finally land on shore. Unfortunately, you will wash ashore alone after saying goodbye to the one you loved and provided care for.
Then you just want to lay in the warmth of the sun and rest. Maybe you are not ready to be picked up by someone yet. That is perfectly acceptably for a time. Just rest in God’s healing and allow Him to give you strength and courage to get up and begin to live again. You must get up and live again though. It may be a slow process. Don’t be rushed. Grief takes time.
During the process of finding a new normal there are some things you can do.
- Take your time.
- Accept that it is alright to feel happiness again.
- Expect things to trigger waves of grief.
- Seek help from clergy or a counselor if you feel stuck
- Continue the legacy of the one you loved.
I made a choice to continue the legacy of my parents in several ways. My mom was the practical one and loved to take walks so I walk in the walk to end Alzheimer’s for her. My dad was the people person who never met a stranger so I write this blog to help people. They both taught me to love deeply so I volunteer to show that love.
Think about what the person you lost cared about and continue their legacy. You will discover in the process that you have been transformed by God through the battering of the storm as you trusted Him to see you through. You can reflect His glory and be a beautiful treasure.
Word for Today
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
Song for Today
Prayer for Today
Dear God,
I come to you full of questions some days. Your plan was different than mine. I try to accept this but some days it is hard. I just need you to hold me in your arms and remind me that death on this earth is just one more step in my journey to my true home. Help me to be strong and live my life to bring you glory.
Amen
Walking Them Home 