By David Coy
Sunrise
The lonesome soul is the one that too soon gives up all the potential of this life and gives in to the darkness of despair. Writer O. Henry in one of his short stories entitled “The Last Leaf” tells the story of a person who – in my perception – is a young individual. They in one cold and rain-mixed season acquired pneumonia. In the course of the illness, this person was seen to gaze out the window from her bed and watch the leaves fall from a vine. One by one she would count down as the leaves fell to the ground. Her flat mate overheard her whisper as she counted down each leaf as it fell. She also heard her proclaim that when the last leaf fell off the vine she, too, would depart this world. This was not because of her physical deterioration as a physician had previously examined her. He said the only thing she needed was the will to live!
Have we lost our will to live in our journey with grief and too soon given up our potential to make a positive impact in our corner of the world? I fear that sometimes we place all our eggs in one basket. In the story the physician said that the young lady had “made up her mind” that she was not going to get well. Do we sometimes in our journey with grief make up our mind too soon? One person might have made up their mind and decided they had no further purpose to fulfill. Another person may have made up their mind that they did not need any help. Further still, a person may make up their mind that there is no hope left for their life, or a person might make up their mind that their grief is not getting any better. Family or friends may make up their minds for the one close to them who is mourning that it is well time that they should move forward and did this or that…you fill in the blank. It is always the right time to allow others to support you in your journey to take as much time as you need.
This is Sunrise Aftercare.
