Grief is funny. I felt great sadness when I
lost my mom. However, I knew she was in a better place. I had grieved
during the long slow decline that is Alzheimer’s. That may sound trite and
dismissive, but when you see someone suffer so….it is a blessing.
Lately though, I wake wanting to speak with her, reach for
the phone to share a moment of fun or have a discussion on some topic. I find
myself experiencing the loss in ways I never expected.
A few weeks ago I was at church with Dad and my Scotsman.
During communion I was watching everyone go up to receive. Nothing in
particular was on my mind, I often look around and watch people, smile at
children or parishioners I recognize. There are moments of reflection as I
kneel, but my mind wanders and often the artist in me looks up at the windows
and appreciates the colors and images in the cut glass. Either my Scotsman or I
will take one others hand and softly caress the skin for a moment. I love when
time slows and we can be in the moment with each other.
We sit in a pew close to the Priest. This particular Sunday I
looked up just as an older couple approached the Altar together. The gentleman
gently and lovingly guiding the tiny lady at his side. She turned toward him
unsure of herself. The initial look of fear, sigh…such a trigger for me. He
whispered softly in her ear. Together they stepped closer to the priest as she raised
her hands for communion. The moment I saw this my P reached for my hand and
whispered, “Are you okay?” I was completely choked up, tears brimming in my
eyes. How was he so in touch with me
that he clearly intercepted that fragile, poignant moment? He knew. At times we
are connected tightly as if one thought.
I watched my mom so many times look trustingly to my dad for
answers that she had long ago lost the capability to retrieve solely due to the
ravages of Alzheimer’s disease.
I have been thinking about trust a great deal lately. So much has been written I am sure my thoughts are nothing new. Trust
takes time and experience to build. We must work on being vulnerable with our
partners. It is important to allow them to care for us with confidence,
embracing-- while believing they are committed to, and concerned about us and
our best interest. That doesn't mean there aren't mistakes in our commitment to trust. We are all human and make LOTS of mistakes. It is important that when we fail we work together to build it up again.
TTWD at its heart is about trust. It doesn’t matter if you
are having fun with spanking or seriously embarking or have always had a Dd relationship. Building trust
is of utmost importance. We must communicate and confide our needs to each other, over and over again. We have to have faith our partners will meet these needs. It may be necessary to allow for failure many times. Trust.
I am not perfect nor is my Scotsman. We ramble through life
with ups and downs just like everyone else. I can be a witch… he a bellowing
man. We both make mistakes and may hurt each other. However, I truly hope to build on our trust so that we can look lovingly
to each other for the answers when needed.
I now happily watch for that couple and try to smile. Love.
This is Minelle’s Scotsman. As I was reading over this post
tears came to my eyes. You have to understand what a wonderful loving woman my
mother-in-law was, and to see this older couple caring for each other, I knew just
what my darling was feeling. We knew what this couple was going through and how
it will end. Even knowing this their love for one another was beautiful to
watch.
Thanks for reading,
Minelle


Minelle,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post! Trust is the foundation for a loving relationship. Thank you for the post.
Meredith
You are welcome Meredith! Trust is a cornerstone. Building...rebuilding....
DeleteDarn you Minelle...you and your bloody Scotsman just had to make me cry didn't ya. Such a beautiful and heartfelt post...and so very true! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
Sorry Cat dear, I had to get this out...I felt such strong feelings when I witnessed this at Church.
DeleteWhat a beautiful and heartfelt post Minelle, this brought tears to my eyes too. I too can relate to the elderly couple. My mum looks to dad more and more as her alzheimers progresses. Trust is so important to any relationship.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Roz
Hi Roz, I think about your mom and hope she will take a long time to progress. I never minded the mild to moderate stages as much...so many sweet moments!
DeleteOh Minelle, how lovely. My grandma had this awful disease. It was heartbreaking, I was a carer of sorts for her and my mum and found it soul destroying. How wonderful that your Scotsman knew just when you needed him. :)
ReplyDeletelove Jan,xx
Ah Jan, Yes Soul destroying in many ways. Out of such sadness though, there were times I wouldn't change!
DeleteMinelle,
ReplyDeleteWhat a truly moving post. Bought tears to my eyes. P's Mom had Dementia so I know how heartbreaking it is.
Love and hugs,
Ronnie
xx
Hi Ronnie, Yes we cried so many tears. It is heartbreaking, but heart building some of those days.
DeleteWhat a lovely...tear producing post. After many months of not doing it, last week, i dialed my mom's number when wanting to call my sister. Trust..it is the foundation of a solid, caring relationship..
ReplyDeleteMany hugs to you..
abby
Hi Abby, I wondered if you were experiencing some of those moments like me. Yes about trust, we need to always fortify the foundation.
DeleteThank you Minelle for this beautiful post. It made me cry and brought back memories of Bears mum also going through alzheimers. Such a horrible disease. Your Scotsman is so caring knowing just how that affected you. We definitely need have trust with our loved ones.
ReplyDeleteLindy x
Hi lindy, Alzheimer's is such a horrific illness. It slowly sucks the person away from us. I'm sorry Bear's mum had the disease.
DeleteTrust is love.
BEAUTIFUL post Minelle!!! :) I Also loved what your Scotsman had to say about both you, your words as you tell us about this event, and what he saw/thought as well. That loving trust thing- any loving and long term relationship between two imperfect humans requires it. Communication builds it. You are so right about it all. Loved this.
ReplyDeleteYour post is very moving. Sending you a big hug. I know that even though there are times when we tell ourselves that our parents are at peace, we miss them more than words can say. I know that you do your mom. Those moments often just pop out of the blue, catching us unprepared. How beautiful that your Scotsman saw and knew just how to care for you in that moment. No words required!
I'm not the best at attending mass much these days. I do love to go to the tiny chapel at the summer place, informal and yet still filled with its catholic rituals. I couldn't step foot in there this year when I was there. I knew that I'd never make it through five minutes. For us it was my petite mom, guiding my tall dad as they went up to receive communion. Of course Dad, with his progressing dementia, always has to stop, and say something about something to someone- no volume filter. No filter period towards the end! LOL! My mother, in her lovingly and sometimes a little impatiently lovingly (You could see in her eyes- oh he was something else!! Lol) would guide him on. So many of those days. Sometimes I would cringe, and Mom would carry on, helping Dad. Moving him along.
A beautiful dance! Two people accepting each other as they are, and continuing to love as they meet life's challenges! Trusting! Opening up to the ones we love and knowing that they are there for us through thick and thin! Thank you for sharing and reminding me of this kind of time. It also reminds me even more to be grateful for Rob, who I don't know what I'd do without these days! The picture in my mind, that you beautifully painted with words, brought both smiles, good memories and tears. Thinking of you! Giant hugs and love sent your way,
<3 Katie
Life in all its vagaries is imperfect. I hope we all remember that. Caring for someone we love requires trust but it helps us remember we are all imperfect, and to embrace our loved ones regardless.
DeleteI know it's still challenging for you...I am thinking of you.
Minelle and Scotsman, what a beautiful piece.
ReplyDeleteTTWD teaches us trust in so many ways. We come to know each other and read each other's feelings like never before.
Life moves along so quickly. That older couple will be us before we know it. How lucky we are to know the strong love of a husband or a wife as well as the strong love of a parent and a child.
Thank you,
Ella
Hi Ella, I love This Thing We Do....because it allows for differences. We all build trust in ways we need. Life does go quickly it is important to seek what we can in love! All types of love!
DeleteTears in my eyes as I read. Beautiful thoughts and words to keep uppermost in my head and heart.
ReplyDeleteAh Leigh, you choked me up. I hope we can all keep these thoughts uppermost in our hearts and heads. I need to slow down and take in the lesson myself!
DeleteI feel for you Minelle. Twenty odd years later I still 'see' my Dad often in situations. More than once I have almost bought him a Christmas gift. I see him in the 'little old men' ( something he never had the opportunity to become) at the grocery store. While it is painful, it is also peaceful at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that trust is something that has to be built, and I think continually worked on as life changes at such a rapid pace. For me, the most difficult thing is trusting myself to let go, and in turn, trust others.
You and your Scotsman are writing a beautiful love story together. One that some day your children will look back and reflect on too.
Hi Wilma, thank You. I don't think you ever get over the loss of our parents. They were our entire life as young children. Knowing we can't change what happens can give us peace.
DeleteI think we all have a hard time completely letting go in complete trust. My feeling is that is why its a constant work in progress.
I know that my daughter says as much about our love....Hope she always feels that.
Reading over this brought tears to my eyes, and makes me want to move back to Germany that much quicker. Because my mom is still there.
ReplyDeleteThe trust, so true. Its taken us a long time, but I would say we trust each other completely at this point, makes me wonder though how much more we can trust each other if everything keeps going the way it is. Only time will tell.
Hugs, Julia
Hi Julia, I understand completely your desire to be with your mom as much as you can. I hope it happens when its able to.
DeleteI love your sentence about how much more you can trust each other as your path continues!
Hi Minelle, what you wrote about building trust and telling each other about our needs is wonderful. You are so right, this is true and important. I am so sorry for the loss of your mom and fully get you on grieving but at the same time feeling that her passing away might be a blessing. My granny is currently in hospital and she will not recover anymore. We are preparing for the worst, but since I have always known her as such a lively woman, seeing her silently in bed is so painful that I don’t know what to think anymore. I don’t want her to go, but maybe it would be a blessing for her to be able to find peace. Thank you for writing this moving post, it is beautiful.
ReplyDeletehugs
Nina
Oh Ni Na honey, I am sorry your granny is so sick. Embrace all these moments no matter how little you think she understands. Your presence will be such a comfort. I still have a cherished moment when my mom reached up and touched my cheek while whispering my name close to the end. Blessings come in many forms.
DeleteA beautiful and heart-warming post, Minelle. One that is true to my heart. I, too, have had similar moments to you. Dan is, like your Scotsman, very good at interpreting my moods and thoughts. We are lucky to have such men! Even if we shout and bellow at each other on occasion! LOL! Now I need to go blow my nose and wipe my eyes!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Ami
I bet there are plenty of bellowing men out there! Maybe it is a shield to their heart? I agree we are lucky to have such men!
DeleteThank You.
what a beautiful and heartfelt post...thank-you for sharing a story so close to your heart and letting us feel the depth of emotion. trust is so important - your words are so true. sending hugs
ReplyDeleteThanks Terps. Sometimes I feel compelled to share what is in my heart. It does help me deal with my emotions! Trust always helps us doesn't it?
Delete