Saturday, March 15, 2008

Waiting, watching & listening

I'm waiting, watching and listening for the sounds of Springtime. The birds are singing more loudly and our maples are budding. We also have some flower shoots emerging from beneath the ground.
The birds are letting me get closer, but so far it's only the finches who are the most cooperative about my presence.
Click to enlarge the picture
and you can see two birds in fight.

It rained all day yesterday and it certainly wasn't fit to be out walking on soggy, and sometimes muddy, grass. Sis was buried yesterday and we said our final goodbyes. I hate funerals because they are so sad and it's the time when it really sinks into your brain that they are not coming back...that it's final and you will not be seeing them again here on earth.
Everyone who attended the funeral gathered at Sis's church afterwards. The church ladies did a fantastic job of preparing homemade dishes, way too many for me to list here or to even remember. The meal did not go unappreciated and I would like to thank those wonderful ladies and I'm sure a man or two for their kind deeds.
But there's one thing that I have to say to all that were there....We have got to stop meeting like this! We have met twice this month to say our farewells to loved ones and it has got to stop. I know they say things come in three's, and if you count Long Haired Daddy's father, and Aaron's younger brother we have certainly had our share of grief for awhile.

So I sit here and I'm waiting for happier times for us. Because besides the deaths, there has been a hospitalization, for the second time, of one family member who I worry about very much who is having trouble with severe depression. I want this person to feel happiness in each waking day and I think once Spring is here and the sun starts shining and we get rid of all of these gray clouds that hang over our heads daily, that things will get better for this person. Depression takes you to the depths of despair and hopelessness and is such a crippling disease and I wish no one had to suffer with these feelings & emotions. I wish I knew what to do for them and I wish I could wave a magic wand and fix them.

6 comments:

JunieRose2005 said...

Sandy,

I'm sorry for all the sadness your family has had recently- and do hope your loved one who is very depressed will soon feel better.
Depression is hard to live with and hard to overcome!


~~~

I enjoyed the pictures of the birds! :) see? Spring is just around the corner for you!

Also the pics of Jimmy and his cat are adorable! :) My husband is that way with our cat, Tiger!




Junie

tomlaureld@yahoo.com said...

I enjoyed the photo and come say hello at my muse it is for those that need to be.

Kerri said...

I'm sorry your family has had so much sadness lately. I hope and pray that things will get better, especially for the family member who is suffering from depression. That's such a debilitating illness and hard to shake.
I do hope the warmer temps and sunshine will help when they finally decide to hang around a while.

Susie said...

Hi Sandy,
I'm so sorry your family has had so much loss lately. I know first hand how difficult those goodbyes can be.
I posted the verse my brother read when we laid Grandpa to rest. I found it very comforting..
Hope your family member can get some help with the depression. It must be difficult for you to watch someone you love suffering through this..
xo

Alipurr said...

aunt sandy, i have felt this heaviness too, and am glad the rain has stopped and it feels springlike....when my crocuses popped up, and i saw the birds it was like a breath of fresh air

there certainly are times and days when i think about my husband's (long haired daddy)dad, and so many little things remind me

maybe the fresh air and spring weather will be good for all of us, a special gift from God to show us hope of new birth/rebirth

Tim Rice said...

You have two beautiful bird photos on this post. I often find nature restoring when I'm going through difficult times.