Monday, April 03, 2006
Be At Peace, My friend.
His life has been tragic. Filled with lost hopes, unfulfilled dreams, and very little love experienced, and now he is dying. In and out of mental hospitals, no defined faith because his family never really practiced. His brother feels bad about the life his brother has had, and in his own way he has tried to do the best he could to make it as easy as possible. I would imagine he has felt helpless.
Tonight, Stephen is dying. He is wide awake and aware of the fact that he's dying. His brother came to see him and stayed for awhile, but then not knowing what to do, he left, to go home and have a glass of wine with his wife. He says he will come back tomorrow IF he's still with us. So, in his helplessness, he has left his brother alone, grateful that the hospice staff is there, to do what he is unable to do.
So his nurse sat at his bedside, quietly watching him, and being attentive to whatever he might need. She said, "He has been alone his entire life. He is not going to die alone. " As his chaplain, I spoke words to him of blessing and assurance that God does love him, even if he had never realized it, and encourged him to reach out for God.
Is it possible to feel so empty for someone, and yet so full for your own life? I think so. Even with the failures, pain and disappointments in my own life, I am rich, with a family that not only loves me but shows it to me in tangible ways. I have a wonderful circle of friends, a calling on my life that gives me fulfillment, and also hope.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Be at peace, Stephen. A peace that passes all understanding and a peace you have never felt before.
Tonight, Stephen is dying. He is wide awake and aware of the fact that he's dying. His brother came to see him and stayed for awhile, but then not knowing what to do, he left, to go home and have a glass of wine with his wife. He says he will come back tomorrow IF he's still with us. So, in his helplessness, he has left his brother alone, grateful that the hospice staff is there, to do what he is unable to do.
So his nurse sat at his bedside, quietly watching him, and being attentive to whatever he might need. She said, "He has been alone his entire life. He is not going to die alone. " As his chaplain, I spoke words to him of blessing and assurance that God does love him, even if he had never realized it, and encourged him to reach out for God.
Is it possible to feel so empty for someone, and yet so full for your own life? I think so. Even with the failures, pain and disappointments in my own life, I am rich, with a family that not only loves me but shows it to me in tangible ways. I have a wonderful circle of friends, a calling on my life that gives me fulfillment, and also hope.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Be at peace, Stephen. A peace that passes all understanding and a peace you have never felt before.
# posted by SunnySue @ 10:24 PM 
