:'(

OMMGGGG
neways. This goes out to all those who have lost somebody.

Someone you love is dying. Someone who has been as lively as you, is now losing their liveliness, or they're about to. It hardly seems possible. More than that, it hurts. It hurts to see them go through what they're going through. It hurts that you cannot protect them, that you cannot change their outcome. It hurts to feel all that you feel. It hurts to realize this is not the only death you'll ever face.

Someone you love is dying and it feels as if a part of you is dying too. It's not easy to think about what all this means. What will life be like without them? What will happen to you in the future? What will become of your relationship? Those are only some of your questions. You're probably also wondering about this period just ahead of you. What will you say to that person? What will you talk about? What should you not talk about? How should you act? What can you do that will best help them? And how can you best help yourself?

This will be a time of testing unlike any you've known. It can be extremely stressful when someone you love is dying. Depending on who they are, who you are, and what the situation is, the stress can seem overwhelming. Not only are you about to lose an important relationship, but you're probably being forced to make major changes in your life. Change does not come easy. Unwanted change is even harder to accept. And a change which threatens your sense of well-being is the most difficult of all. It would not be surprising, then, if this were one of the most stress-filled times you've ever known.

When You Feel Sad

by James E. Miller

Your sadness is real, yet it need not be final.
You have known deep joy before;
you can yet again.
And while your despair brings you pain,
it can also bring you wisdom and strength.
From it you will learn secrets about yourself,
and truths about others.
Through it you will experience the blessings of healing,
and the mysteries of life.
So listen to your despair
and allow it to lead you to greater fullness.
And always remember: you are not alone.
You are loved, whatever happens.
You have significance, whatever befalls.
For you are an unrepeatable act in God’s grand creation.
You are irreplaceable.
At this moment, your journey in life
is requiring of you great courage, often unseen by others.
Be strong in your persistence.
Be supple in your patience.
And know: despite your brokenness,
and somehow even because of it,
wholeness awaits you.
Despite what you have lost,
and somehow even because of it,
you stand to gain.
You hold the possibility of experiencing life
with a maturity, and a compassion, and an appreciation
you have never known before.
So be open.
Know that the life which flows through you
has been given you as a sacred gift.
Cherish that gift.
Nurture it.
Above all else, hallow the preciousness
of each passing moment that is yours,
for this is where the miracle of life resides,
and this is where you must go to find it.
Finally, remember that your destiny was predicted
by the writer of the Book of Job:
"You will forget your misery,
you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.
And you will have confidence,
because there is hope."