Sitting with grief

((((((chris)))))) I will hug my dear ones close today and think of you and your family, too.....

I'm so so sorry.

I've lost my dad and a sister --it is very difficult.

Please know you and your family are in my heart.

fins

((((((Chris))))))

I am so very sorry to hear about the loss of your sister. There aren't any words for the pain of losing someone close to you.

I'm sure she was a spectacular woman. What a wonderful thing to say about your sister.

Cancer can take away a lot of things, but boy, love sure isn't one of them.

Thanks for the reminder to love early and often.

You are in my prayers.

Well, I'm back at work. It is going to be a hard day with everyone coming up and offering their condolences. I'm pretty teary today.

We had a beautiful funeral service for Kathy. The music was gorgeous, the message was uplifting. The church was full: probably 300 people. After the service we had a party complete with margaritas and beer (Kathy would have insisted.) It was a celebration of life. We had 54 pink balloon -- one for each year of her life -- that we released at the end of the party. Kathy would have enjoyed the day, the family, the friends, the love, the frivolity.

The Houston Chronicle did a feature story about her in the Sunday paper as someone who had struggled with cancer but never had lost perspective for what is truly important in life. It was a fitting tribute.

this does sound so beautiful and fitting to your sister and I hope it was comforting for you and your family, too.....thank you for sharing this with us!

I'm so sorry farmergirl. The funeral service sounds like it was a beautiful event. ((((farmergirl))))

I am so sorry for your loss. Keep all the precious memories of you and your sister in your heart.

welcome home Chris. The service sounded spectacular.

I know you will be inundated today with all sorts of wisdom and condolences. This is one of my favorites:

Death is not extinguishing the light;
it is only putting out the lamp
because the dawn has come.
---Rabindranath Tagore

Sounds like the service was beautiful...a celebration of life. Try to take care of yourself now. Thinking of you

I am so sorry for your loss. I am fairly new here, but wanted to offer my condolences to yo and your family.

I hope your day back at work went well for you.
The celebration of your sister's life sounds very beautiful and loving.

(((((((((((Chris)))))))))))))

What a tribute to your sister! I love the idea of the balloons. It's obvious she was very loved.

I hope your first day back at work was okay.

The first day back was miserable. I'm finding that she is always on my mind, and even a room full of teenagers doesn't distract me from her presence. I just fell apart once I got home yesterday. Hopefully today will go better.

Grief will be with you for awhile. Loss is tough. It will be months - so don't let that old-fashioned wrong attitude of 'get over it' become something you feel you need to do. Take your time. Be gentle with yourself.