It has been a week since Fred left us. A week filled with some very low lows. But that is not to say they weren’t moments of what I call high lows. Those moments are when your grief and sorrow are shared with others, seen and acknowledged. Whether it is a text message, a phone call to check in, a visit with friends or flowers from a neighbour, those moments make it easier to keep wading through the grief.
I have to say my favorite high-low moment of the last week isn’t any of the ones listed above. And it wasn’t one that happened with an adult. It happened with a young boy in our neighbourhood…. a good friend to Fred. During one of the walks with Carmela, Gordon run into this young boy and his Dad. Let’s call this young boy Sam for the purpose of this story.
Sam saw Gordon and Carmela and immediately came over to say hello…and this is the conversation that followed.
Sam: Hello! Where’s Fred? Gordon: (trying not to lose it) Fred wasn’t doing well and is now gone. Sam: Do you know where he is? Sam’s Dad: Fred died buddy. Sam: (Pause)……Oh…… (Pause)…I didn’t want that to happen. Gordon: Neither did I Sam: I guess now all you have is the little loud dog. Gordon told me this story…and we both burst into tears and then peals of laughter because we couldn’t have said it better. “We didn’t want this to happen”….and yes we are left with the crazy little loud dog (whom we adore). Out of the mouths of babes…..I have never felt so seen and heard as I was by that 7 year old boy. He is such a gem. The image in today’s post is of a photograph I created of a Chrysanthemum that came in a bouquet of flowers from Sam’s mom. Spider Chrysanthenums have many meanings including remembering the dead, love and longevity...all very appropriate for this moment in time. It sits on my desk and reminds me every time I look at it that we are not alone in this.