From One Keeper to the Next...

Most of us at some time or another have received e-mails which are like a chain letter or a prophecy of something good happening but only if we pass the message on to many others within a certain amount of time, these I ignore but every now and then you get one which has a nice message and it makes you stop and think.
A friend who cares for me sent me this e-mail and it did make me think, made me think about many things and though I won't be forwarding it on to everyone in my e-mail address book, I wanted to share it with you here...I have made some comments at the end which to me are relevant and important so I hope you will read them...

" I grew up with practical parents who had been frightened by the Great Depression.

A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it.

She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it.

A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused.
Their best friends lived barely a wave away.

It was the time for fixing things - a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress.

Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy.

All that repairing, eating, reusing, I wanted just once to be wasteful.

Waste meant affluence.

Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer 's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most, gets all used up and goes away...never to return.

So, while we have it.... it's best we love it... And care for it... And fix it when it's broken...

And heal it when it's sick.

This is true.... For marriage..... And old cars..... And children with bad report cards......

And dogs and cats with bad hips ... And aging parents... And grandparents... And friends...

We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special.... And so, keep them close!

I received this from someone who thinks I am a 'keeper,' so I've sent it to the people I think of in the same way...

Now it's your turn to send this to those people who are 'keepers' in your life.

Good friends are like stars... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Keep them close."

Yes my parents did grow up during the Great Depression and were very much aware of the value of things that some of us now have so readily but take for granted...a time when food was short, no work and a struggle just to survive.

I must say that my dear Mother would never re-use foil for cooking but I was always amazed how she managed to cook such wonderful meals for us with the little she had, there was definitely no waste and she cooked everything with love and a willingness to share our food with those who were less fortunate...there was always happiness and sharing at our table.

My dear Dad was a generous soul as well, he could fix just about anything that needed mending, he built our home and helped family, neighbours and friends with his skills...many things were fixed to see another day, not thrown away.

My parents have both passed now, they had a great marriage, they were two good people who were both generous with their time, their love and friendship.
They always taught me that most things can be fixed, you can at least try its only when its completely impractical that you throw something away and replace it.
I never took anything for granted, I was grateful for two wonderful parents and the things they did for me to make my life better.

It was a clear Summer's night when my dear Mum passed away, actually it had been a very hot November day, I had spent the day with her at the nursing home, she was very ill but mostly lucid and I was feeding her a thickened fruit liquid with a spoon that they give to patients when they can no longer tolerate solid food...
She told me how much she loved me and what a loving daughter I had been, I told her how much I loved her and what a wonderful Mum she was; there were long silences as she drifted in and out of sleep, but always holding my hand and waking to make sure I was still there. I would wipe her face with cool water to make sure she was comfortable, and stroke her forehead softly for reassurance as one would do for a child who was ill.
This was not the way it was supposed to be, I had cared for Mum myself for many years but there came a time when even for me it was too much and with her dementia and medical problems it was necessary for her to become a resident of a nursing home.
As I have said I spent the day with her until early in the evening, I knew the end was near, I asked the staff could I stay the night with her but they said no, she was in a room with other residents and it would be too disruptive for them, I protested and said surely there was a room where we could be alone...they said there was none.
So I stayed as long as I could, cuddled her, kissed her goodnight, told her I loved her and said I would be back in the morning and then very reluctantly left.
It was only a matter of a few hours when I got the call to say my Mum had passed away, I quickly and safely drove back there to be with her, for my final goodbye, she had taken that last breath of life all alone, I know she would have been frightened and I wasn't there to comfort her or hold her hand at that moment and there was nothing I could do to change that or' fix' that and I knew there would never be 'any more'.
They let me stay with Mum after she had passed, I sat there in tears for hours and thought why would you not let me stay before, now it was too late, she was gone.

So there are many important messages in this e-mail, appreciate what we have now, don't take people or things for granted, they might not always be there.
If you have broken relationships or friendships do try to fix or mend them even at the risk of seeming foolish for trying which has been my experience; for while we have them we should love them, care for them... it's rare to get second chances. Don't let bitterness into your heart for if you can fix or mend what's broken it will be worth it... if after you try your efforts fail take comfort in knowing that at least you tried because sometimes there just isn't 'any more'... ♥