Requiescat in pace

How are we to handle grief?

When someone dies, how do we stop ourselves from spiralling out of control? It's so difficult... at that point, all we feel is pain, and pain is so hard to handle. Grief is so hard to handle.
Death is so hard to handle.

My french teacher passed away this week. She was an amazing teacher, always supporting her students, offering re-writes so you got the mark you needed to get. But she was sick, and she was suffering. So, ultimately, I am happy that she is with her Father.
But the earthly grieving.... it's so, so hard to handle. We can't properly comprehend the fact that this person is never, ever going to be coming back. So even though I say I'm happy for her, it's seldom that I actually remember to feel happy.

Death is a fact of life, as oxymoronic as that may sound. We must learn to accept it, and to trust that Father knows what He's doing.

He does.

And that's a reminder to myself as much as to anyone else.

Madame, vous nous manquez. Repose en paix... nous vous n'oublierons jamais. Vous étiez une source d'inspiration; je n'avais jamais une enseignante qui m'avait appelée  «ma fille» avant toi. Tu étais toujours plein d'entrain, et tu faisais un effort incroyable pour tes étudiants... nous vous vraiment n'oublierons jamais. 

Avec l'amour et des larmes~
Godspede

My mom... a prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for my mom. She's amazing, such a powerhouse, and I've put her through so much recently. She hid all of her frustration, paranoia... fear... she kept it away from me so that I wouldn't feel guilty. She just grabbed me by the shoulder and helped me along the way.
I really needed that, God, in this time when I cast You aside . I insisted on believing that You had abandoned me, and that You hated me and didn't want to help me anymore. That must have hurt mom so badly, but she kept on going, listened dutifully to my dark talks. She must have been so worried... but when I begged her to not interfere, she didn't.

Lord, bless my mom. You've blessed me so much by giving me her. She deserves a fabulous life from here on in. Bless her with laughter. Happiness. And make me less of a pain... because I know I am one. But she rarely makes a big deal out of it... and when she does, I do the typical eye roll, scoff, "Whatever, mom!".... she deserves so much better than that. And You make me feel guilty about doing that.
But that's after the deed, Lord... perhaps it would work better if You made me feel guilty before hand? But, of course, that wouldn't be human, I can't have that foresight... But teach me patience, Lord, and remind me of all she does for me. She's a super human, and so are all mothers of the world.

Happy Mother's day, to You who made them all, and to all Mothers who make the world a better place simply by living in it.

Amen.

~Godspede