Let go, be grateful, look forward

To be happy you must:


Let go of what's gone. Be grateful for what remains. Look forward to what's coming next.-Author unknown.

Living in the present

"How much time we spend anguishing over a future without the one we love-anticipating all the times we would have expected that person to be present with us, sharing our life. Yet the future is unknown to us. We ourselves may not be present at these events we look toward anticipating grief. We do not need to compound that grief by projecting ourselves into a time beyond our knowledge or control."-Martha Whitmore Hickman

T's surrogate

Two years ago I woke up on this day of the month completely overwhelmed. Tori had died at 4:44 pm the day prior. I was scared and didn't know what to do about most everything. We had split up so many duties over the years but it became apparent that the things she did were the things that mattered; the things that kept our family and household going. Our cars being cleaned and the yard looking good suddenly became so insignificant. Having our bills paid, having food in the refrigerator and helping to coordinate and keep track of family issues were always "hers." I couldn't imagine life without her. I wasn't at all confident that I could even come close to doing the things she had been doing.
Things have not been the same. Everything is different but I have acquired, actually re-acquired, many skills. I've done my best to be her surrogate. I got to witness the best. She never got to witness this improved version of myself.

LWT X 2 years

"I knew already that these things, and worse, happened daily. Of course it is different when the thing happens to oneself, not to others, and in reality, not in imagination. " C.S. Lewis

Tomorrow will be two years of Life without T. I am doing better. Re-reading posts from over the last two years confirms the same. This LWT version of myself has more SINCERE empathy for others than I know I had in the past. I hope I can give close to the same of amount of support to others in need as I have received from so many.