Today was the final session of the grief support group that Charlie and I have been working with through Optimal Hospice.  The children planned a memorial service for today’s meeting and invited family and friends to participate.  One of the things they wanted to do was a balloon release.  Participants tied a note to their loved on to a balloon.  We went to an open area, read a poem, listened to the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and then the balloons were released.  We were able to watch them for quite a while before they disappeared.
It was truly a privilege to work with this program and to hear the stories of the loved ones that these children have lost.  They are certainly gone, but not forgotten.  I leave this having a sense that I know these people who have passed along.  Through the stories and emotions that have been shared, they have become familiar to me even though we have never met.  That truly is the measure of someone’s character.  When you have such a profound impact on those you love that your life continues to go on through them… you have really left your mark.

The last two days I’ve been participating in volunteer orientation for the Hospice organization that Charlie and I are going to working with.  While I am excited to get this project started, I am very nervous.  I’ve never watched anyone die before.  I’ve experienced lots of death and loss in my life, but it’s all been very sudden and unexpected.  The thought of working with people who are facing death (both patients and care givers) is a bit overwhelming.  I’ve learned so much already, and I haven’t even met one patient yet.  I know this will be a life altering experience for me.  Already, my attitudes towards death and dying are beginning to change.  I also know that God is calling us to this work and therefore He will give us what we need to complete the task.  I have a lot to learn about living from the dying.