Edie Melson’s Soul Care When the Nest is Empty, which releases July 9th, is written in the same format as the others in her Soul Care series but of course, the topic is different. I have the honor of serving on her book launch team, as I did with her previous publication, Soul Care When You’re Grieving. Each book contains wisdom apropos of this past week’s same-different experiences—header quotes from Melson’s soon-to-be-released Soul Care book.
“Occasionally we experience seasons when we want to weep and jump for joy at the same time.”
Out running errands on Friday afternoon, I pulled into the trash station and saw that there was only one receptacle open and vehicles on both sides. I pulled past and stopped to recycle cardboard boxes then carried the trash bag back to the collection bin. An old man—probably my age—was unloading several boxes and black trash bags from the back of his old pickup truck.
Usually, I go about my business without comment, but something nudged me to say, “How you doing today?” He said okay and you? I wished him a good weekend, expressed my hope for rain, and started to walk away.
“Oh, it’s going to rain,” he said. “My wife of 47 years passed. This is her stuff.” Tears welled in his eyes, and he crossed his hands on one of the boxes. I placed my hands on his, looking into this face and waited. “She’s with Jesus,” he said. “We’re going to bury here tomorrow. Oh yes, it’s going to rain.”
With tears in my eyes, I embraced him and said, “God bless you.” Joyful that his wife is with Jesus; weeping for her husband now without her—at the same time.
“He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.“
Keith and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary last Tuesday. Same day yesterday, today, and tomorrow for as long as we both shall live, same one dessert and two spoons, but different. We know God is the same; and we are not. Over time, we’ve aged, as you can see from our pictures above. But we’ve also grown in love, faith, and wisdom.
“It’s the same key that unlocks peace—God.”
Last Thursday afternoon, while walking Cato puppy and Mac dog back up the mountain road after picking up the mail, I ran into one of our neighbors, out walking with her pre-teen son. She’s reading my book Wisdom Builds Her House.
“I can certainly relate to the parenting and your other experiences,” she said.
I nodded, “My story is unique to me, but the story is not unique. It’s the same for all of us.” We all experience childhood then the sometimes-perilous crossing into the second stage of life. The joys and weeping, figuring out who we are, how to make a living, and who we’ll walk through life with. It’s not easy—that’s the same, and different, all at the same time.
Linkup with Five Minute Friday: https://fiveminutefriday.com/2024/06/27/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-same/
wow! You packed a lot of meaningful same-and-different experiences in this one! Congratulations on your 18 years together and thank you for listening to the grieving gentleman.
Ah, thank you and thank you, Dawn, my friend. We are blessed to do what we are nudged to do.