There is so much potential housed within our brain. We possess the intellect to solve complicated problems. We can ponder our future, and imagine all sorts of scenarios. We can feel sympathy and empathy, or we can block all emotion. We can have a sense of motivation or of apathy.
Spending too much time inside your head isolates you from the reality of what is going on around you. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, we can really only focus on one thing at a time.
This last week has been a goulash of emotions. Loss of life is hard to resolve in one’s mind; especially when it is unexpected. There is sadness, frustration, and compassion before there is relief and gladness that the person’s suffering is over.
All these emotions must be dealt with while being expected to be practical about handling the deceased person’s affairs. It is ironically cruel. Nevertheless, we do the best we can do.
The trick is to not dwell in your thoughts for too long. I am blessed to have a great support system of people around me. Even though we all feel a sense of loss, we stay connected to each other. We share each other’s burdens.
I have never planned a funeral, or organized a memorial. I have never written an obituary before, either. These are the last things that you can do to honor a person. It doesn’t matter to them, but it is important for the friends and family still living.
My faith, and my trust in God is what is getting me through this tough time. God is the source of my strength, my encouragement to face each day with a renewed sense of purpose. He is the well of happiness that I draw from. I find peace and reassurance in my belief that this life is not all that there is; to know that my Heavenly Father has unconditional love for me, and promised me a place in heaven if I simply recognize and accept the sacrifice Jesus made by dying on the cross.
What parent wouldn’t do everything in their power to see their children successful and happy? Not by giving them everything that they want, but by teaching them the value of life and relationships, giving them responsibilities, and blessing them with good things and a satisfied life. He is the best parent.
And so, we are taking things one day at a time. There is still so much to do, but we are at the mercy of waiting on the ever so slow legal processes. Understandably, nothing can be officially done without a death certificate. But it takes a couple of weeks to get that, and the waiting is the worst part.
In the meantime, life goes on; especially for college students and us here on the farm. We are starting to prepare the garden for planting in another few weeks. We have a big garden that includes both a traditional in-ground garden, as well as several garden boxes.
In the garden boxes I grow a variety of lettuces, spinach, carrots, and Brussels Sprouts. I love having a fresh picked salad every day in the spring and summer. We haven’t mapped out what we are putting in the big garden plot yet, but typically, we have strawberries, beets, green beans, summer squash, zucchini, pumpkin, onions, sweet peas, sugar snap peas, rosemary, dill, cilantro, oregano, a variety of peppers, tomatoes, and Swiss chard.
Right now, though, is the time for tilling and amending the soil. Soon, I will be planting lettuce seeds in the garden boxes. I already have lettuces coming up in the boxes and in the yard from the seeds of last year’s plants.
This week’s post is short, but I know you understand. I hope what is left of your weekend is relaxing and fun. May your next week be sunny and full of good times with friends and family.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised from the dead.
