Today was a very emotional day for me at church.
First of all, Fred invited me to share with the church as to where things are at for me....
I told them I was off chemo and have entered a phase of waiting, watching, hoping and praying.
Maria L came up and prayed for Samoa etc. - tears.
Then Dianne B. opened "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"...more tears.
Then guest speaker Meredith spoke about "Grief"...more tears.
Andrew was with me...he gave me a reassuring pat on the back...
Then Fred announced for people going through Grief to come up the front for prayer...
I asked Andrew to grab me a coffee, as I might be gone "for some time" and made my way up the front...
An elder (sort of "old person" within the church with proven spiritual maturity), Brian A., came and sat down next to me and simply hugged me for a long, long time.
...As I sat and cried and wept and wept...for myself, for my family, for the loss of ...life?....stuff???...sunny days?...
I have just realised now that that hug from Brian was an "echo" of a hug my Dad gave me when we went over to Kawau Island and I got seasick and there was nothing Dad could do about it except comfort me with his physical, big, warm, reassuring presence - his arm around me.
As you know, I am an emotional guy...that's both a strength and a weakness, I s'pose, but it is the way I am...I don't bottle stuff up successfully and my face is pretty easy to read...
Brian, thank you for your presence, your prayers, but most of all your Hug.
I will never forget it!
By the way, if anyone else out there would like a hug, I still have planty to share!
Just ask!
Love,
Gerald.
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Well done Gerald to get this far. Hugs don't have to be physical: I think of you every day, and hope you feel better for that,too. Love you lots and always.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about hugs of course - I'll take a metaphysical one over nothing at all.
ReplyDeleteI think you guys would have enjoyed our Golf Club gig on Saturday, with Beatles, Bob and ABBA.
Performing Maxwell's silver Hammer was great fun!
Hi Gerald.
ReplyDeletePrecious times.
Here is a virtual hug. I think you looked great as Geraldine!
x
sandy
You have planty to share? Sounds like your imaginary friend the pot-plant that you want to share with everyone. (No, not pot plant, although that made lead you to have an imaginary friend that's a pot-plant.)
ReplyDeleteAnd sandy f, I always thought xs were kisses and os were hugs, according to what my sister says about her cards. But maybe what you meant as the virtual hug was the sentence "Here is a virtual hug.".
I'm not saying anything constructive, just opening up points of discussion,. which could be a good or bad thing, depending on what you choose to do.
Whatever. Bye, people.
Sandy, thank you for your HUG and your affirmation of my "feminine side".
ReplyDeleteAll the counselling has clearly helped!
Alexander, I appreciate your contributions...must fix up the Planty thing some time.
In the meantime, picture a pot plant full of hugs.
Some are for you too!!
G.
You put disturbing images into my head.
ReplyDelete