Dear Friends,
As I get more accustomed to the Zoom support group meetings, I am growing much more appreciative of the technology and the opportunity it affords us. Not so long ago, if this pandemic had hit, we would have been even more isolated and alone -devoid of such means to communicate as we have today. So today I am grateful for Zoom. It’s certainly not the same as our actually and physically getting together, as I mentioned last week, but it is so much better than nothing at all. I have been able to facilitate conversations between people; some of whom are completely and utterly alone. It feels good to help create that moment of release and connection for those of you who are feeling the pangs of separation. If our hour of Zoom can relieve even one moment of loneliness and isolation, then that is certainly something for which to be grateful.
I was so moved by what someone said in one of my Zoom group meetings this past week that I asked her permission to share it with all of you, and she unhesitatingly said yes. She said, “thank you for the opportunity to possibly comfort someone else.” She lost her son a bit over a year and a half ago and she and her husband have been attending our support group since. Here is what she shared that I felt was so profound:
“One lesson that I am only beginning to learn is this: Love always wins. Not the way I envisioned it to win you see. I mean… I used to think, if love won, my son would be here. If love won, my heart wouldn’t break every time I got out of bed and had to live another day in this world without him. However… I believe that where my son is now, he is at peace, and he sees with new eyes and he only knows LOVE. He sees the times I did say ‘I love you.’ He sees the times I did listen to him. – All the hugs and kisses. – The times I made his favorite dessert. – The times I watched his silly TV show just to sit next to him on the couch. And the times I did help him. So, I write down all the good memories. – All the times I can remember saying ‘I love you.’ -Reading to him. -Snuggling on the couch with him. -Listening to him and being silly with him. I think my son wants me to see what he sees! You see, love is what wins. Love is how I not only survive in this new world, but how I learn to live in it. -Not to just be okay in this world, but to be happy once again. It is the love I have for him and the love he has for me that wins. LOVE ALWAYS WINS.”
What more is there to say? I want to thank this person for sharing her gi^ of such beautiful, inspirational and authentic insight, which came at such a great cost. We treasure one another’s journeys, especially the abiding hope that rises from the ashes of our imbued pain.
Please be safe and healthy and take very good care of yourselves over the weekend.
Peace and Serenity, Kevin