I just read Corgi's posting on her cancer and now her lapbanding and I sat back after posting to her and I realized that we all have our own troubles from the past. Some worse then others but still to each individual the problems were not small.

Cancer has effected each and every one of us at some time, depression has plagued almost all of us at one time or another. We see what Whippledaddy and his wife Patty are going thru. Others here too have major medical troubles.

The loss of close family members, sons, daughters, moms and dads and siblings amoung others.

Financial problems have fallen upon many people here some have worked thru them others are still struggling.

Recently we even saw how we were all saddened by the lost of one of our friends pets.

We are emotional people and we have dealt with our emotions our whole lives.

But for ever piece of sad news we see here we read elsewhere someone has won thier personal battles and we show tremendous support to both the saddened and the happy. I don't know about you but many times I read posts here and choke up and shed tears for my new friends. Not just at the sad news but at the good news too. I don't find this at any other site. Oh lots of them are good but I find myself hurring to read so I can get back here to my "Family" at this site.

I work 26 yrs as a police Officer and have handled all types of death, sickness, car accidents, suicides, murders and even a plane crash in Detroit in 1988. Also so many good moments I couldn't keep track of them either. I worked a second job in the Funeral business so I have been touched by saddness even when it wasn't personal.

So what has gotten me thru all I'm seen and done? GOD has and he will continue to be my guide thru the rest of my journey. God gives each one of us only so much time here and as we know some get more then others but regardless its all we're given. Some will say His/her live was cut short. Well I don't personally believe that statement I believe that that person as lived a full live. Its just the one God gave to them.

So all this to make this one simple offer to my Family here. Please if you want to read something very comforting click on this site I have posted here and let the music guide you thru the words and I think you may be as satisfied by it as I was. I ran across this sometime ago and had forgotten about it until Corgi's posting.

http://www.llerrah.com/dreams.htm

God Bless you all<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></WMFILTERED>

Thank you Greg. That was really beautiful, and meant alot to me, especailly today. You see, yesterday, I lost my grandmother. She was 92 years old. She died of old age, nothing in particular like a heart attack or infection or other complication, she just died, holding the hand of her youngest daughter, my aunt, who said to my Nana, "it's okay Mom, just go be with Daddy" and within moments, she slipped away.

A few years ago, when my daughter was an infant, I went to see my Nana in Virginia to help her have her cable turned off, since she couldn't see well and couldn't afford the monthly bill, and to have a "help, I've fallen and I can't get up" system installed in her home, which she did not want to leave. By the time I got there, the cable man had come and gone, yet sitting there on her TV was the cable box, her remote control, and every channel available for the picking. She never got another bill. The Help System lady came and installed her speaker and gave Nana her button wrist band and she never had to use it, but the peace of mind for her and us was priceless.

That day, as I sat with my Nana, nursing my child, generations of time separating them, soaking in the moment, my Nana sighed and said, "I feel like the last rose of winter, just hanging out there on the vine." I laughed and told her how I loved her, and we talked about our family memories and my Dada, her husband of 50 years before he died. It was a nice day.

I ordered flowers from the grandchildren for her funeral, and asked that 3 roses be placed in the spray, one for me, my sister, and my daughter to place with her in the casket. That last rose of winter fell. We will miss her.

This is a valley, but where I will grow. It is such a privilege to have this opportunity to explain death to my daughter, to teach her our beliefs about the God who loves us. I know that the personal religious beliefs of the LBT family differ greatly. But there is great respect for one another here, and no matter what your beliefs about God, Jesus, or whoever you worship, we all grow in our valleys. Thank God we have each other, too. I am thankful for you nice folks everyday.

Thank you for sharing a moment about my special Nana. I would love to share in your special moment, where a valley made you grow. Thanks to Greg, this is a good thread to post it on.

Greg - Thanks for sharing. (I didn't recognize you with your new screen name)

Kathy - What a beautiful post you wrote. Your Nana sounds like a very special person, and so do you. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Amen!

You have said exactly what I wish I had the words to say. Well done Brother!

If someone wouldve told me 5 years ago that I wouldve had this many friendships to this depth - through a computer, I wouldve laughed at them.

God bless each of you, you are all so special to me too.

Kathy, ((hugs)) to you my friend!

The best to you, Kathy!!! Greg, thank you for articulating so beautifully what we all have inside. Lovely post!!!!

Greg - This sounds just like you. Beautiful on the inside and out. You’re a VERY rare breed of man. To find a man with all your talents, personality, emotion, conviction, sensitivity, compassion, intelligence, spirituality, and sense of humor all rolled up into one person is VERY rare indeed. I am proud to have you as my friend. Don’t ever change a hair on your head….yeah that one right there in the middle. :-) Huggssssssssssssssss. Nancy

Kathy - I know exactly how you feel. My Mom passed away 5 years ago. While she was in the hospital the whole year before she died, I would visit her and she would usually be sleeping. I would stand there and watch her sleep, and wait for her to wake up. When she woke up, she always said "Here you are, my guardian angel" or just sometimes "my angel". There isn't a day that goes by that I don't pick up the phone to call her. She's my own special angel in heaven now, watching over me, and always will be.

Paula - My sentiments exactly! I have been on the intrnet for 11 years, since the very beginning of AOL and Prodigy, etc. Believe it or not, I still keep in touch and talk to several of the friends I have made from the net. It's awesome! A group of us used to meet every morning online after taking the kids to school and it was likehaving coffee with the girls (and guys). There are a few I have spoken to for the entire 11 years. It's unbelieveable.

Take care all of you.....HUGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSS

Nancy*

Here's a cute Nana story I just thought of, since she's on my mind a bit these days. Over the last 5 or so years, she has been hearing singing in her head. All kinds of hymns, mostly, and once I asked her what was playing. She listened to herself, and said "In the Garden" then sat and sang along..."and He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known." It was so sweet. I asked where the music came from, and she said she thought it was from the wires outside (electricity poles?) that someone must be playing music on there. Hmmm, she was never mentally ill and had her wits about her to the end, but noone could ever explain the music she heard. It brought her comfort, so it doesn't matter. That hymn will be sung at her funeral...better bring the tissues!

You guys are the greatest!

Where are those tissues....sometimes a good cry is as theraputic as a laugh.

hopeful

banded Sept 24 2004

hit a plateau

Thank you Greg for making this post. It is all so true every word.

Kathy - Warm thoughts your way. You have a wonderfull Grandmother (Guardian Angel) As once I did too.

I enjoyed the site Greg, sometimes we get so caught of in the everday struggles and stresses that we need a moment to reflect at Least I do. Just in time too just seen my bank account.

Greg, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and the beautiful website. You are such an inspirational person and I'm glad I "know" you.

Kathy, I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Your Nana sounds like she was a sweet and wonderful lady.

Well Kathy as fate would have it. I was just called and told one of my cousins passed away yesterday. My family thinks e-mail is proper way to make notifications of these things and they called because I didn't acknowledge the e-mail. They sent it to an old e-mail address I used to use. Can't figure them out sometime. I must send them two or three e-mails a day from the new addy and they send important stuff to me on the old one.

He is being cremated this afternoon and a memorial service is being held Saturday Morning.

So Kathy you and I will share a week of sorrow here. Dick had cancer and was suffering terribly so he is in a better place now...no less sad but easier to justify I guess.

Greg - Sorry to hear of your loss too. You are also in my thoughts and prayers.

Greg, so sorry...this thread has been such a blessing.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble

with the comfort we ourselves have recieved from God."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

God Bless You and thank you.

Greg I'm so sorry.

My prayers go out to you.

Greg, I'm sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Greg and Kathy, I'm so sorry for both of your losses. I know that they are free from pain now. Hope you have many wonderful memories. (((Hugs)))