Of Two Minds About Posting This-I'm On A Deathwatch

[+ not2rowdy]

Be the strong son.

 

Give your mother a special hug.

 

Try to make her feel safe and secure as a new phase of her life begins.

 

Don’t let emotions over rule common sense with funeral arrangements.

[Kippy]

Tender thoughts for you and your family!

 

Kipp

[Despardo]

So sorry for your loss. It comes to all of us. Take comfort and be of good cheer. Be there for your mother and take care of yourself. My thoughts are with you.

[rvwnsd]

I am very sorry for your loss, @Gar1eth. My thoughts continue to be with you and your family.

[jawjateck]

My sympathies, Gman. The next days will be super busy and a blur, but take time for you, and don't deny yourself the privilege of authentic grief and sorrow. It's healing.

[AdamSmith]

It's over.

 

Gman

We are with you in our thoughts, and you know you have our love, for sharing so much of your life and soul with us, now and many times before. We treasure you as a precious member of the community we have all built here.

[bigvalboy]

God bless you Gman. Blessings to you and your family. I'm amazed at your courage to come here and share with us this very private time in your life. I hope our prayers and thoughts helped.

 

I will plant some flowers in the garden today...

[BasketBaller]

My deepest sympathy to you, Gman, and my admiration. The next few days may be hard but the real hard part is more likely to be when life returns to "normal," which, of course, it isn't. Be there for your mother and family, and let them be there for you. And hold on to the knowledge that you were there for this. You may have felt powerless, you may not know how much your father knew, you may think of things you wish you'd said or done, but no matter. You were there, and did what you could. None of us can do more than that, when it comes down to it.

[LADoug1]

May he rest in peace.

 

~ Boomer ~

 

And may you find peace for yourself.

 

Thank you for including this forum in such a personal and sensitive journey. I feel privileged.

 

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[+ WmClarke]

Hugs.

 

My condolences to you and your family.

[Racketjock]

My deepest sympathies to you and your mother. Wishing you peace and that you memories of all that is good overcome your grief and sustain you.

[tyro]

I am so, so sorry.

We wuv you.

T

[+ LIguy]

My condolences on your loss.

[BigK]

Thanks for sharing your difficult time with us. I hope all the sincere concern expressed here helps give you the strength you need over the next few days and weeks. With deepest sympathies on your loss.

[+ honcho]

Please accept my condolences also, and wishes that you might find some immediate rest and solace for a few days.

[OneFinger]

The next few days will be an emotional roller coaster for you and the family. Hoping you will have a sense of peace in the knowledge that you and the family did everything possible to make him comfortable and keep him safe.

[+ FreshFluff]

I am so sorry, Gman. I am thinking of you.

[+ Eric Hassan]

My condolences.

 

We'll be here for you.

[+ g56whiz]

I've come so late to this thread that I can only and to the many condolences already offered. But I'd also like to thank the Gman for giving us the opportunity to see again what a wonderful caring community this unique group can be.

 

Peace Gman. It's now your due.

[liubit]

Sorry about your loss, @Gar1eth. My condolences to you and your family.

[liubit]

Sorry about your loss, @Gar1eth. My condolences to you and your family.

[+ Gar1eth]

Just to let y'all know-we had a graveyard service last week on Thursday. It was supposed to be very hot. But it turned out to be just slightly overcast, and we had a nice breeze. So for a funeral it turned out to be a really nice day.

 

My siblings came up with the idea (from a recent almost family member's death) of us saying something at the funeral. I wasn't happy-not that I didn't want to memorialize my Dad. But I hate writing, and I was afraid I would break down while saying something. But I started thinking about what to say. Plus because my Dad died on the first day of Passover (Monday) we had to delay the the funeral until Thursday (normally Jewish funerals are to be performed as soon as possible to show respect for the deceased).

 

So I had a few days extra to come up with something, and I did. I also broke down. But so did my siblings. All in all my siblings and I spoke, as well as my nieces and my nephew.

 

At the Shiva service that afternoon (Shiva is the period of 7 days following the funeral. For Conservative and Reform Judaism, there is a formal service usually at the deceased's home that evening to support the mourners. Usually the people who attend bring food.) there was a bit of levity. A three year old family member was attending the Shiva service. We opened the prayer book to start, and the three year old suddenly declaimed , "Once upon a time..."

 

I didn't want to leave right away. So I've stayed in Dallas. But I'm going home tomorrow. It's hard. But life goes on.

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

I thought the above post was going to be my last in this thread, but I was remiss in not thanking all of you who posted for the support and for all those who sent silent prayers and good wishes to my family.

 

Gman

[LADoug1]

I thought the above post was going to be my last in this thread, but I was remiss in not thanking all of you who posted for the support and for all those who sent silent prayers and good wishes to my family.

 

Gman

 

That's one of the great thing about this forum. So many kind and gentle souls.

 

Peace and love to you. You made it through valiantly. Have no regrets and relish the good memories.