Dec 15, 2024

Living in Unconditional Love (197)

 

“Love flows from God to humans without effort:

As a bird glides through the air without moving its wings-

Thus, they go wherever they wish united in body and soul,

Yet separate in form.”

–Mechtild of Magdeburg

 

My wife Eileen died from esophageal cancer in February 2020 one year after being diagnosed, 60 years after we met on Long Island. Then my brother Tom became ill (not COVID), and I spent a total of six weeks being with him in Ohio, but he died in October 2020. My sister-in-law Sue Mahoney died from Covid-19 in January 2021. On top of it all stood the pandemic, locking everyone down almost two years. Covid has proved to be a persistent problem, and many of the long-term effects are quite serious, and it has proven much more serious than flu.

12/15/2024                                                    Sometimes this journal is difficult to write, for in all lives painful moments arise and now is one of them for my family. My granddaughter Rianna (Karen’s daughter), 20, has had a traumatic event in her life and needs our prayers. She had been living with her boyfriend Will for about a year, and they had decided to go their separate ways but would continue to live in the same house until the lease was up in a couple of months. Then on the Friday after Thanksgiving at 1:30 in the morning they were in Rianna’s bedroom talking when he pulled a gun and killed himself in front of her. It was so sudden she could not reach him in time to prevent it.

He was well liked in her family but had had a difficult childhood, but that scene is forever etched on Rianna’s memory. She had no idea he was that despondent, and it is a very challenging moment for her. Rianna is staying at her sister Natalie’s place for now and will be starting a new job this Monday in the medical field, so she will have much to keep her mind occupied but that is a scene that is etched on her memory for the rest of her life. She wrote a beautiful tribute to Will on Facebook Thursday so I feel I can talk about it here.

My heart goes out to her in her grief and memories, which include many good ones. I had not met him, but they had worked together at a fast-food place while in high school and been longtime friends.

The weather here has been wildly varying, warmer one day and freezing the next. Right now, I have snow on the ground, but next week it is supposed to warm up and rain, then maybe snow again. Maybe we will have a white Christmas, but that remains to be seen.

On a positive note, Dan Facetimed the girls in their Christmas dance recital this past Saturday. It was really cute as they all take dancing lessons and really enjoy it. Seeing a line of wee ones doing the little steps brought our spirits up greatly.

I have some of the Christmas decorations up and will have the tree brought in next weekend so we can decorate it Christmas eve, our usual time. Karen and Maureen are coming on the 23^rd so will be here for Christmas. Janet and Brendan will come on the 26^th, and we will go to Mohonk on the 27^th as always.

Meditation

Gentle One, I place my trust and hope in You to guide Rianna through this difficult time. Only You know the agony Will was in as he apparently saw no hope in his future, and felt this was the best for him. Help Rianna to place these memories in their right perspective and to help her move forward in her life.