Wednesday ART THERAPY

Autumn Nature Observation Therapy

Hello my Grief Warrior friends, I
just wanted to share with you my growing passion for 'nature observation'. These are photos of some of my evergreen shrubs which are now standing out so much, amongst all the other trees losing their leaves. On the contrary, the last picture shows my deciduous magnolia tree shedding bright red berries from one of its 'oddlooking' seed pods.

1. Photinia 'red robin'
2. Laurel
3. Myrtle
4. Magnolia

 

Apologies for having confused the ordering /setting of the pics with the text. I'm not very ' technologically able'.

Rose

 

Wow. La Rose! Woke up really early at
4:30am, my time. No sad dreams. It's just
bc I went to bed early last night. I was
shocked ( & pleasantly surprised) to get a
message----with photos !!---from you this
early ( but realize you've been up for hours). The pictures ate beautiful and
peaceful.. I laughed when you said you're
not "technologically able"! I still don't
know how to text a photo to someone
else. But, I DO know that if I tap a picture ,
I can enlarge it. So, it feels like I'm seeing
the details of your trees with binoculars.
Thank you for starting my day with a
smile. Even though the temps here
dropped to the high 40s, both yesterday
& tomorrow ( rising to 50s), I will venture
out to breakfast. The good thing is that
there will be light at 7am. Louster

 

Happy birthday George, what a step forward. We're all looking forward to seeing some of your artwork. Keep your spirit going. K

 

Beautiful pictures.

 

Thank you.

 

Yay for BDay greetings!
Wednesday ART Therapy on Thursday. Spent the day yesterday at the hospital for work on my dialysis access and then 4 hours of dialysis fun! I'll post some art today!

 

Thursday Art for all my GW besties!

I am enjoying the last warm day of the year!
Much LOVE!

 

Rose I love your pictures. Thank you for sharing, so beautiful. Nature is the best medicine. I enjoyed some time on the beach a few days ago and saw these beautiful deer. Thought I would share. Robin

 

Lou, I’ve been thinking of you. I know it’s 4 years very soon since that awful day that you lost Linda. The love of your life. I’ve been missing Ron more then ever but I’ve been receiving extra signs from him to help me through. Nov 17 it’s 4 years since my wonderful life turned upside like a snap of the fingers. So fast. I keep reliving that so normal day that ended in the worst way possible. For me the beautiful memories take a back seat for a while this time of year. I’ll be on the beach again on Thursday and release balloons in Ron’s memory and try to have the special memories get me through the day. Then try to stand tall and prepare for spending Thanksgiving in Florida with my son.
Lou I think of you and Linda and I know you celebrate her birthday and try to keep it positive. I celebrate those days too. And on Nov 17 I’ll be celebrating Ron’s life and keeping his memory alive. He’s the most wonderful caring loving person I know and I miss him dearly. I know there are others who have had anniversaries in November. I’m not naming names, I wouldn’t want to miss someone or get it wrong. My thoughts are with you all. We get through and are stronger for it.
Sending hugs and love to all. Robin

 

Thank you, Robin.Your post came at a
perfect moment. I have been having a
tough time lately with Mr. Grief. The
dark , gloomy , rainy days don't help
my mood. As you know, I don't like the
cold, and early darkness of winter.I've
been collapsing into bed super early &
waking up at 4:30, having an early,
light breakfast and going back to sleep.
To cheer myself up, I walk to a breakfast
place for a bigger breakfast, & to talk
with people. Recently, I met a widow,
about my age, whose husband died 13
years ago. They had been married 38
years, & he died suddemly, in front of
her. She told me this while we were
standing near the beach, and we both
cried. Both of us said that we cry every
morning. I told her about The Widower's
Notebook, and how Jonathan's story was
similar to ours. This am, I was reading
about Julia Roberts on the NY Post app
on my Smart Phone. She said that the
secret of her happy marriage, is a lot of
"smooching", or "making out". I had a
sharp pang of guilt that I didn't kiss Linda
enough at home, when she was in her
chair, watching TV, & later, lying in bed,
in the hospital, and then, the nursing
home. F*** Mr. Grief. Thank God for
widows & widowers in my life, who
"get it", both on & off GIC. I wish you a
Happy Thanksgiving with your son in
Florida. I look forward to being at the
holiday table in the home of a woman,
who 's like a daughter to me. Lou

 

Hello all. New topic. I've been reading Alan D. Wolfelt, PH.D book, Living in the Shadow of the Ghost of Grief, Step into the Light.

He talks about purpose. My question to you who have been on this journey for awhile is: Have you found a purpose in your life? And if so, would you care to share.

I'm still living in the shadow of the ghosts of grief, but hoping to find a purpose.

Thank you warriors. You are making a difference in my life just being there. K (Ms Hum)

 

Louster, we all have regrets we wish we should of.....But, we are human and we don't think of the 'should' at the time until we lose our love one then it becomes 'should of'.
When Jack was in his death bed I didn't want to tell him how much I will miss him and how much our life together meant to me and how much I love him and don't leave me and start to cry because I didn't want him to worry or get depressed. Now I wish I had told him my feelings. We can't carry our guilt it's not healthy. But, we can be kinder to people, and more compassionate as I think we all are learning by our loss. Ms Hum!

 

Ms. Hum, you will see by my "talk" with
Robin, that we are both having a hard
time right now, bc both Ron & Linda
died 4 yrs ago, right before Thanksgiving.
The colder , sometimes rainy weather,
has added to my gloom & grief. I've been
collapsing into bed, soon after dinner,
now that it's getting dark earlier. I've
been waking up at 4:30, crying & missing
Linda. I eat a light breakfast & go back
to sleep. Late morning, I walked with my
umbrella to a breakfast place I never go to,
bc I met a widow, my age, recently,
who works there on Sundays. We met
near the beach, and stood on the
sidewalk, talking & crying about our
soulmates. I also have Vietnam veteran
friends, whose wives have died. We
comforted a guy, whose wife just died.
When I put my hand on his shoulder, I
realized that my purpose is helping other
people on their grief journey, on & off
GIC. Louster

 

Thank you Louster for posting your purpose. As you and Robin sharing the same month and year I can see missing soul mates may mellow out a bit in time, but just to surface again and again.

 

Great shot!
I so dread winter and holiday stuff.

 

For variety, I substitute Cato for Mr. Grief,
bc Cato attacked Inspector Clouseau in
his bed, from time to time. Clouseau
( played by the funny Peter Sellers)
hired Cato to keep him on his toes. I
could do without Cato / Mr. Grief, but
have no choice. Thank you, as always,
Ms. Hum, for your kind words. Louster

 

Lou, I’m sad we’re both suffering so much. But we have each other’s back. Lou you’re strong and I’m confident you’ll get through this extra rough time of year. I hate to say this but sometimes I feel as time passes I miss Ron and our wonderful life more. Everyone who hasn’t lost their one and only thinks we get over the loss. That’s so not true. Our weather is very similar and the dreary rainy days are wearing on me too. Getting dark early doesn’t help. You’re going to bed earlier I’m doing the opposite. Staying up super late. I just don’t want to move once I’m on my recliner with Ted and my electric blanket. Ron has turned my tv on 3 times so far today. My mom is visiting more too. She turns on I lamp I have of hers. Lou don’t regret anything. You did everything you could for Linda. You stayed by her side and loved her through it all. You might not have physically kissed Linda but you kissed her in other ways. She felt your love the same as a kiss. I don’t know why we do this to ourselves but we all seem to. Ron made me promise many many years ago if something happened to him I’d move on and not dwell on losing him. I made that promise but it’s sure difficult to keep. We promised each other, he would have trouble too. I’m glad you have nice plans with the woman you joined last year. She’s an angel for you. Call me crazy but I’m driving to Florida this trip. Ron and I drove more often then flew. I don’t enjoy flying. The cost of flying is up and renting a car is ridiculous. This is the first time I felt I might be able to make the drive Ron and I did so often. I’ll let you know how I manage it. But Thanksgiving with my son will be wonderful. We got this Lou! We have to and will for Linda and Ron. Robin

 

We’ll George this just might be my favorite love it. And thanks. The deer come so close I feel like I could touch them but I don’t try. Winter and holiday stuff is certainly hard. Right there with you.
Robin

 

Thanx Robin! I needed to hear something positive. I have had a rough week! Thursday it was 75 here today it is 33! weather whiplash. And radio is full of "holiday" bs advertising!
Take care!