Gone but not forgotten

We have people in our lives for a time. Sometimes for a lifetime, and at other times for a few weeks. Losing a loved one or missing a treasured friend can be difficult to navigate. Here at Gateway House we know what that is like. The residents that come here become friends, extended parts of our Gateway family and ‘own’ a section of our hearts. Today I heard from a family member whose loved one has passed. They wanted to express their gratitude for the special care that Gateway was able to provide to their dearest kin.

I was thinking about this particularly, when looking out at the grounds here at Gateway. One recent resident loved to paint rocks, and our grounds are now decorated with a scattering of those colorful rocks. She may have left this earth. She may have left behind friends and family. She is no longer in pain. She is no longer struggling. She did, however leave us with a reminder of her joyful, colorful, creative spirit. These rocks reminded me that even if we are not here physically, we leave memories, echoes, touches that bring our presence to life in the souvenirs that remain as reminders.

You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.

--Anne Lamott