Thank you friends - I'm with my family now and things are tough as both JJ and Rebecca can attest. I've broken down and cried on both of their shoulders today and it has helped, knowing that I have friends here of the caliber of all of you.
We lost my father (also Don) about 5 1/2 years ago to Alzheimer's and after learning the circumstances of my mother's passing, I thought I'd share it with my wonderful friends here - It is beautiful, if sad, and I think we can take many lessons from it:
My mother, who was in the prime of health and a very young 75, died this morning from a massive stroke. My cousin Becky was visiting at the time and they were sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee when Mom looked out the window and said to Becky; "Oh, well here comes your Uncle Don - I'd better get my purse!" Mom got up, walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa and reached down for her purse. As she straightened up, the front door blew open - Mom looked up and said, "I'll be right there, Honey!" Then she leaned back, closed her eyes... And went with Dad.
She was a cantankerous old battle axe who never hesitated to help another soul. She could get on your nerves quicker than almost anyone I've ever known and remove a bandaid so gently that you'd barely feel it. She never hesitated to give someone Holy Hell, if she thought they deserved it and she loved the same man unconditonally and unequivocably from the time she first saw him when she was 15 years old. They were married for 51 years and 1 month at the time of Dad's passing and raised 5 strong sons together.
And now she is with him again and we are left to pick up the pieces of our broken hearts and try to move on with our own lives.
And I thank you my friends - No matter how tough it gets in the next few days, I will take strength and solitude in the knowledge of knowing you are here and thinking of us.
Thanks folks! I'm keeping my profile active for a bit, for anyone who cares to shoot some breezes... I just won't be sittin' around the cyber fire for a while, or checking in everyday...
I don't have to tell you all to be good, because you already are. But I've got some things to sort out and some cobwebs to dust and a few lessons to practice...
Be humble and don't stumble,
And never let your mother brush your hair when she's mad at your dad!
If I don't see you later, I'll see you later on...
It's been fun, but it's time for me to hit the trail for a while as well. I can't begin to fool myself into thinking that I'll be missed as much as some of the others, but it's nice to dream. lol
I've met good folks here and learned some neat stuff and I thank you all for putting up with me. You've been very gracious!
I'm gonna leave you with a few things to ponder:
The one who takes your hand, but touches your heart is a true friend.
We seldom think of what we have, but always what we miss.
Don’t cry because it’s over – Laugh because it happened.
The more precisely you plan, the harder destiny will hit you.
What happens, happens for a reason.
Don’t make an effort – The best things happen when you least expect them.
The greatest events events aren’t the loudest, but the most quiet hours.
The most difficult lesson to learn is: Which bridges to in life to use and which ones to break.
Everybody see how you seem – Only some know who you are.
He who would like to have something he never had will have to do something well, that he hasn’t done yet.
Perhaps God would want you to become acquainted with many different people in the course of your life, so that when you meet the right ones, you can appreciate and be grateful for them.
Plan for tomorrow, live for today.
Love doesn’t require that two people look at each other, but that they look together, in the same direction.
Life is drawing without an eraser.
I wish you always:
Air to breath, Fire to warm you, Water to drink And the earth to live in….
If there is no number 3 then there must certainly be a 1.5 - That would include those whom I have met and will meet in person.
And that would be the group to which I belong - I've developed frienships, first via an on-line forum and then continued those friendships in person. One of those friends was directly responsible for my becoming a published writer. Granted, at best I see most of my "online" friends on an irregular basis. Of course, owing to my vocation I only see even my closest friends on an irregular basis, as well.
And there will always be those whom I'll never have the opportunity to meet but will continue to value their friendship as well as their guidance and insight....
Just as timeless now as when Tex Ritter first came out with it. Thank you - I listened to our National Anthem this morning and it brought tears to my eyes. I have both friends and loved ones overseas right now and if I weren't such a broken down old fart, I would be there myself! But my military days are long past - But that doesn't stop me from remembering... And praying!
tran·quil·li·ty or tran·quil·i·ty (trng-kwl-t, trn-) n. The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.
Does it fit? Yes, of course it does!
And it should be present at all times. That is to say that there should always be a certain tranquility present just as a result of the confidence that comes from loving unconditionally and knowing that, no matter what happens, we will always be safe and secure in the shelter of our love.
That being said, do we always achieve it? NOPE! We've all been burned so damn many times that after a while we lose that feeling of innocent trust that is ultimately responsible for the feeling of tranquility. The hell of it is, that feeling of trust is probably the one thing we yearn for most.
I hope and pray that everyone here gets to experience tranquility in a relationship one more time before we die. And that it lasts a lifetime!
I can't take credit for it. Not really. If it hadn't have been for a very special earthbound angel, I might never have learned enough about what is real and true to have EVER made that post... I owe it all to her...
Tell you what - come on up on the porch, grab a comfortable seat and take a load off your shoes. We'll have a cup of coffee and shoot some breezes and before we know it, we'll have taken a load off our souls as well.
At a press conference held today in Sacramento, Ca., A German scientist announced that he had invented a new brassier which would prevent women's breasts from bouncing under any circumstance or condition, up to and including bouncing on a pogo stick!
Immediately following the announcement, 17 male journalists took him outside and beat the crap out him!
Abra - I like your response and we think alot alike. But on finding someone to become emotionally involved with - Wouldn't it be nice to have a "special someone" to be there at the end? With time being short, it might not seem fair to them, but if they cared about you wouldn't that make the time you had all the more precious?
Ok, so then why don't you? From this point on, figure that you've got 3 - 4 years left, tops. And live your life accordingly! What have you got to lose? And how much do you stand to gain? I'm not really picking on you, mts, just "borrowing" you to illustrate a point: Whether we want to admit it or not, nearly all of us will pass over wishing we could have done just ONE MORE THING. Or done one more thing just a little BETTER. Wouldn't it be better to take care of things now, just in case we DO only have 3 more years left?
The_Kansan Forum Posts (3,395)
RE: A Dear Friend of ours Needs your Thoughts and Prayers
Thank you friends - I'm with my family now and things are tough as both JJ and Rebecca can attest. I've broken down and cried on both of their shoulders today and it has helped, knowing that I have friends here of the caliber of all of you.We lost my father (also Don) about 5 1/2 years ago to Alzheimer's and after learning the circumstances of my mother's passing, I thought I'd share it with my wonderful friends here - It is beautiful, if sad, and I think we can take many lessons from it:
My mother, who was in the prime of health and a very young 75, died this morning from a massive stroke. My cousin Becky was visiting at the time and they were sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee when Mom looked out the window and said to Becky; "Oh, well here comes your Uncle Don - I'd better get my purse!" Mom got up, walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa and reached down for her purse. As she straightened up, the front door blew open - Mom looked up and said, "I'll be right there, Honey!" Then she leaned back, closed her eyes... And went with Dad.
She was a cantankerous old battle axe who never hesitated to help another soul. She could get on your nerves quicker than almost anyone I've ever known and remove a bandaid so gently that you'd barely feel it. She never hesitated to give someone Holy Hell, if she thought they deserved it and she loved the same man unconditonally and unequivocably from the time she first saw him when she was 15 years old. They were married for 51 years and 1 month at the time of Dad's passing and raised 5 strong sons together.
And now she is with him again and we are left to pick up the pieces of our broken hearts and try to move on with our own lives.
And I thank you my friends - No matter how tough it gets in the next few days, I will take strength and solitude in the knowledge of knowing you are here and thinking of us.
Thank you...
...Don...
(A.K.A. The Kansan)