When I was 19 years young, I started to volunteer at a local skilled nursing facility while in undergraduate school studying to be a registered dietitian nutritionist. I always was drawn to listen to the tales from the elders that offered a glimpse of what my future might look like. I’d often ask them about secrets to aging well because so many had great energy, a zest for life and looked like a million bucks despite their advanced age. Most frequently the tales told were about real-life love stories, from the first dance, kiss to raising children, having in-laws and balancing careers. There typically would be pictures from long time ago of romances lost, lost to death. Service people lost during defending our great country.
Deaths from other tragedies too, even death on Earth whereby husband and wife would be sharing the same room, but one couldn’t remember the other. Equally as popular were pictures of children and even great-great grandchildren, if the family began at a ripe enough age to allow. Devastatingly enough, those frames sometimes were filled with people who never visited either for reasons whereby space or time caused dilemma and perhaps the most tragic reasons were manmade. Family bonds destroyed for whatever reason. More often than we’d like to admit, there was a choice not to visit even though no physical limitations existed. Does it really matter why? Not really when people are suffering a broken heart. Matters of the heart aren’t logical. Yet they effect the body, mind, heart, and soul. Matters of the heart gone wrong can crush the spirit, with a piercing sword heavily weighted with wounds.
Everyone has or will suffer the separation of no longer being close with a loved one to death. Do you have any memories that seem not to be able to die? Are they serving you well? If so, how do they enrich your life? If not, do you believe it’s your time to move through them and finally heal?
Dr. Jaime L. Pula is the author of her newly released book titled, ‘Rise Above: A Playbook On How to Keep Energy Flowing.’ She can be reached at jpula@artofhealthsciences.life. And she enjoys connecting on LI at: www.linkedin.com/in/drjaimelpula001/.