Things I've Learned over the Past Month

1. I’m the crier in the family.

2. When he was in his 30s, before I was born, my dad almost died from appendicitis. He had no money, so my mom’s dad paid for his surgery.

3. I knew that my dad’s thyroid tumor had wrapped itself around the windpipe, but I didn’t know it had also grown around the aorta.

4. Evidently, Catholics aren’t Christians. I learned this from my brother, who went to a Christian supply store to buy rosaries, but they didn't have any.

5. Don’t go rosary shopping on the day of a rosary.

6. I used to have a hard time understanding why people have to die. I know it’s childish. Now I think I’ve figured it out – people have to die so that we can value life. My stepmother used to send updates about my dad’s health by e-mail. I wanted to know, but at the same time I dreaded getting those e-mails. Every day without an e-mail about his radiation or chemotherapy treatments was a good day. When you go through something like this, you learn to appreciate the little things. I learned that when my mom died, but in the 20 years since then, I had forgotten. I guess it was time to learn that lesson all over again.

Comments

[barbara]

Hi Jennifer,
I am so pleased to have you back in Paris.
Yes, we learn so much about ourselves and other people when a loved one dies. And yes,there are also sometimes little secrets that we sometimes must face.
I always say that a person is not truly an adult until one loses a parent.I sincerely think so, because we become the caregivers when it was before the opposite.

Wishing you courage and letting you know that I am here.

Hugs x

[anne]

hello Jennifer ... I am not sure what to say, but it is something we all have to face, at whatever age. I lost my dad when I was 10, not sure I became an adult then. And it was a long long time ago. Never really understood what was going on, and haven't stopped missing him.. a big void in my life.

Sending you prayers and hugs, take care .. Love Anne xx

[anne]

Funny about the Catholics not being Christians .. The Catholic Church is the worlds largest Christian church .. !

[Jennifer K]

Barbara: Thank you so much. I definitely think grief matures a person and makes one more compassionate. Looking forward to seeing you sometime soon.

Anne: Thank you for your comment and for also leaving one at my dad's obituary page. I'm sorry about your dad. I think it must be so much harder to lose a parent when one is a child. At least I was an adult when I lost both of mine.
I thought it was funny when that Christian supply store didn't have rosaries! It's a big store, too.

[Jenny N]

Jennifer I am glad you made it safely back to French soil. I haven't yet been able to log on to your dad's obituary page our signal seems to be better tonight so I will try again. Sorry for the hard lessons but they do come, don't they. I hope you are okay and that being back to your home is a comfort. Love and hugs to you, Jenny