Comments on: Dying as Giving Up and Letting Go

By: The worst thing about having cancer « one woman’s dance with death

The worst thing about having cancer « one woman’s dance with death — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:12:13 +0000

[...] is death just giving up? [...]

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 12:25:04 +0000

Thank you Miriam.

By: Gregor

Gregor — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 05:38:15 +0000

A very precious moment. I’m glad he was able to open up with you, I’m sure it meant a lot to him to be able to share that with you.
It points to how precious and fleeting life is. Thank you for this remembrance.
Gassho,
Gregor

Greg, good to see you here. I wish that you can have life being good to you too! IS that zazen doing you good at this time? RW

By: ceeque

ceeque — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:58:53 +0000

thats a great story of difficulties overcome and possible resolution, I wish I could have known any of my grandparents, they all passed before my birth…. Yes grandparents are a special brand of family. I had 5 grandparents, my great grandfather died when I was 23! I was very lucky to have so many of them. They were all different and gave of themselves. With some I went very well and others were more distant. I even remember when I studied at uni that my greatgrandfather would invite me for birthday diners together with his friends. This was so sweet. It is now that I come to enjoy it even more. We do not know what we have until we lose it! RW

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 11:56:53 +0000

thanks for sharing that story Miriam.

Thankx, also sent a prayer for you dad Ken.

By: babychaos

babychaos — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:20:50 +0000

sorry that sounds a bit odd… I’m sure you know what I mean though!
Cheers
BC

I got it. When you listen to others most of them have interesting things to tell. IF we would take the time and the patience to find that in another. I find that hard. Before I go into the room of an older person or sick person I leave my own bag of thoughts at the door. That is such a valuable thing, for now I can listen and not worry about myself. The bag I will get back when I leave the room again. Sometimes I wish someone else would grab the bag and but it in the rubbish bin. I will do that myself when I ready to let go. RW

By: babychaos

babychaos — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:20:27 +0000

Great post. So true, too. I like old people, they have lots to say… always have. Maybe I’m just strange…

Cheers

By: radiantwoman

radiantwoman — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:10:08 +0000

Well, well, this post was not written to underline what a good person I am!
Today I saw this paper hanging in the old age home and it says “The difference between the old and the young is that the old were once young but the young were never old.”
Old people understand well that the young people do not come and do not understand what it is to be old. They have learned now only themselves what it is to be old. They realize what counts.
And you know what? It is not coffee, or chocolate, or clothing or what your room looks like. They care about attention, from a human being that takes the time to listen and sit with them. It is such a simple recipe. And young people go to the take-away and have all the attention in the world. That is the difference.

By: RubyShooZ

RubyShooZ — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:12:37 +0000

Good for you Radiantwoman and good for him too. I’m so glad you took the time to go and visit him and listen to him and be there for him.
There are so many old people that just go off without anyone seeming to care about them or listen to them.
I wish I had taken more time with my grandmother and asked her more about her life when she was alive. I wonder about her life often and have done a little bit of investigating about her and found out she lead a pretty interesting life in some interesting times.
Good on you too for visiting the old folks you do.
You’ve got a beautiful spirit and it shines through.
Peace!~

When I was six years old in school I was asked what kind of job I wanted. You know what I said? Nurse of cleaning lady. My mother was not amused or something in that line of thinking. But in a way I am a nurse, I carry the world on my back sometimes. Thanks Rubyshooz for your compliment, much appreciated.
And yes it is interesting to dive into the story of your grandparents, they were in a world that changed so much. Imagine to have airplanes, telephone, radio, television, luxury goods and all of that in one life. That is quite a lot to get used too. Peace to you! RW

By: reggiehudson

reggiehudson — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:36:33 +0000

Beautifully written, beautifully worded and beautifully lived. I too have moments of remembering a grandparent of force per say……or for lack of a better term….a force to be dealt with….Zelda Hudson, my grand mother. She was born in the 1880’s and the closest representation that I can bring you to picture her is…Granny, on The Beverly Hillbillies. Even when I became a grown man with children of my own…I never for a moment thought that I could appear out of line in front of her. Yes, even though she was about to approach her 90’s, that fact still didn’t damper my fear that she would just yank me up and spank my ass. At the end she was the most caring tender hearted person I’d ever met…….You know I don’t think she changed a bit at the end…..I was just allowed to see just how much she cared from a new perspective….She spanked my ass because she didn’t want to see God have to do it….He has much bigger hands and much greater force behind his swing. My most wonderful and comforting guitar that I can’t go a day without playing is named Zelda by the way.
Thank you for a touching story that I could feel and almost smell.
Reg

What a wonderful species, grandparents. I wish they would never go. All my grandparents have now died. I will miss them, for everything they meant. You know when I write this I come to realize that I have no grandparent left. They are all gone! How will I be as a grandparent? Different or will the same kind of thing repeat itself? RW