But as I grew older, I noticed a shift, a change in my forest. No longer did I feel protected; I felt very vulnerable. My family slowly shifted, and instead of being in the background–protected from the winds and hardships of this world–I was projected to the front lines. I was now doing the protecting.
Looking at my Grandmother, I can see the sadness in her eyes. She is now the only one left. Mother, father, husband, sisters, and brothers, and even son had passed away and laid to rest; all that’s keeping her here is my mother and her grandchildren as well as great-grand child.
I cannot imagine what it’s like to be the last one standing in your family, the same very protection you felt slowly crumbles away, and you are left naked and alone once again. But I can imagine it, since it will be a fate that some of us will have in our futures.
You always think that you have more time to get to know someone, that what ever you need to get done can wait until tomorrow. Sometimes tomorrow never comes, sometimes you have to do those things today.
They always say that life is short. But I don’t believe that. Living is the longest thing you’ll ever do.
My Great Aunt lived. She lived her life to the fullest. She raised 6 children, buried her mother, father, husband and two sons–still she had the will to continue on. She raised her children Catholic, and most of them have managed to remain in faith–strong and faithful as the day they were Baptized.
My family of forests may be hurting, and slowly being brought down due to age and illness, but to my daughter, that forest is strong, and vibrant and her protector.
No matter what happens, I know I will be the strongest tree that I can be to protect her. I will have the strongest branches to protect her from being hurt, and the knowledge to know when to bend so she can grow.
When her world changes–and I know it will in time–she wouldn’t have to worry about feeling lost.
The trees may have fallen, but they will always leave an imprint that can never be removed or forgotten.
This post was added to the #WorthRevisit linkup hosted by Theology is a Verb, and Reconciled to You.
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Sorry for your lost,beautiful message here. Thats how I felt a year ago. God Bless You
Thank you Poeticjourney.
Beautifully written. So sorry for your loss. This is how I felt when I lost my grandma. I hope that your family uses those imprints to continue living life the way your great aunt would have wanted.
Thank you Latorsha. It’s a shame, but it seems like when there is a loss in a family, that is the only time a person gets to slow down and reflect. It’s something that I’m trying to do more of everyday.
That was beautifully written Kalley, thank you for sharing. Loss of loved ones is especially rough.When our support systems start breaking down, we really have to stretch out to find ways to cope with life. It still amazes me how the once heroes of our lives become so human with time. It’s a reality that really hits us all that we are fragile, yet so strong. All we can do is live to the fullest and hope we are a blessing to others along our journeys.
Beautifully written. I felt that way when my we lost my Grandma. I imagine that is how my children must feel. We laid my mom to rest recently and I feel so lost. This is our first Thanksgiving without her and it is so hard. God Bless you and your family.
My heart goes out to you and your family. I know this Thanksgiving my seem sad, but please take comfort with each other. I also lost my one of my grandmothers. She was my father’s mother and she passed away in January of this year. This will be our first Thanksgiving without her as well.
I do hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving, it will be somber, but you will have each other. God Bless you too.