Life, Death.... and Your Thoughts on Everything in Between.....

[DarkSkies]

^ Nice poem stripercrazy, thanks for sharing that.

Took some pics...will try to post some of the most compelling ones (without identifying info) when I get a chance.....it really hit home, how much death can affect us and the ones we leave behind.......
A phrase..."Life is for the living" comes to mind....and another reminder that it's never too late, to try to live the live you want to live......
...or to tell someone who is still living, how much they mean to you...and try to bring a smile to their day....

Some of the pics........





Ebbtide......

[DarkSkies]

Another one.....
Lived your life...Brave and True...

[DarkSkies]

Spent a few hours at the hospital last night. The sister of someone I have known for 20 years is in bad shape, She has pneumonia, her lungs are filling up with fluid. She's only 61 which isn't that old. I saw her 5 years ago and she was in relatively good shape.

What I realized last night when I visited is over the years she has developed schizophrenia, and recently dementia. I thought I knew a lot about mental illness. Unfortunately I saw her so infrequently that I didn't pick up on the schizophrenia. 6 years ago she had a job working at the airport and was fairly functional. Now her life has deteriorated so much that if she recovers she will spend the rest of her life in a nursing home.













Several things occurred to me.........

1. When we are healthy life is good. When our health fails, many people stop caring..... or stop seeming to care.

2. Yes, it does take some effort to communicate or visit with someone who is sick, but wouldn't we want the same courtesy if we were sick? We are not all young, and our health is guaranteed to fail at some point.......
I feel that some of us put little effort into life or relationships, until it is too late. I have been guilty of that as well.

3. The point to make here, is that if someone we know starts deteriorating, and eventually dies, that relationship we had with them, before they die, is entirely up to us......
Expressing regret at not having visited them, after they die.......is pointless......and part of our human flaws.....IMO

4. The selfishness of many folks in this world becomes apparent to me daily.....I can smell a selfish user a mile away because of problems in my own dysfunctional family.....and will be making a conscious effort to divest myself from anyone in my life who I consider selfish, or a "user"....for my own peace of mind......
This means continuing to engage in whatever battles are necessary with the clueless manipulators who continue to claim there is nothing wrong with our present fisheries.... as a means to divert the truth and push their own selfish agenda.

5. Get the hell out there....and make that effort.........you and they will feel blessed for the contact......Make no mistake about it...human contact has healing powers...but if you can't help someone....the contact will offer needed comfort and peace of mind.....

Remember....the person you are feeling (or should feel) sorry for....may one day be you.

I hope these words reached someone who may not have been living up to their potential in helping someone out in their lives who desperately needs it......
Thanks for reading....

[DarkSkies]

Back in the hospital again last night.....the person we have been worried about flat-lined yesterday, and was revived with the paddles. Because of this and other deterioration, her kidneys were damaged, and she's now on dialysis and life support. She's in a medically induced coma, and it's pretty tough to be there and watch.

I know this is a grim post, but I make these posts to remind us all.....that any of our lives could turn for the worse, in an instant...
There are many things we take for granted....and relationships as well....we mistakenly assume that those we have neglected in our busy lives...will be around for "at least a few more years"...

Any relationships, if we have let them lapse, we assume we can repair them....that there is enough time....
I know I have been very guilty of that in the past....so please don't think I'm judging anyone.....
But I am making the point......in hopes of motivating some of us....to
Make that call...
Make that visit...
Reach out to someone in your life...that you may have lost touch with....

You can't reach out and touch them, when they are dead....
Thanks for reading.....

[baitstealer]

Sorry for your friend dark skies. Thoughts and prayers for her recovery.

[seamonkey]

My uncle is 81 and I haven't spoken to him too much lately. You know the drill - life, job, kids, honey do list, everything gets in the way. Today I called him to see how he was doing. We talked for awhile and he told me about some of his cool war stories. I will be visiting him for Thanksgiving but it was nice to get in touch. Thanks for the push, DS. T&P for your friend.

[surfstix1963]

Thoughts and prayers for your friend Rich.