Thoughts from C.S. Lewis

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

-- C.S. Lewis

The list.

A number of friends of mine have lived through situations very much like my own.  A divorce, losing lots of stuff and being nearly homeless - I've lived it.  I don't recommend to others but I would say it caused me to really think about what is necessary in my life and what is not.

What isn't necessary: drama, lies, fighting.

What is necessary: love, communication, compassion.

Today on FB, I was reading another friend's blog.  She described a life much like mine and how she began to pull out of it and make her life her own again.  I admire her -- and her resolutions to herself.   It is knowing that others have walked my road and have lived to find love again means that anything is possible. 

I'll be making that list for myself.  A list among many.  It is time to restart my life.  Time to look for love, communication and compassion.  For me.

Where do I start?

Last week's triumverate of madness, sadness and general disarray continues.

I will speak of one of these things, but only one. The other two still sit on my heart, wearing me down and out -- with a sense of wonder and disillusionment.

Last week I was checking Facebook, as I am wont to do. On FB, I discover that my friend L returned from working overnight to find her husband, in the kitchen, bleeding from a pretty serious headwound. Apparently he had fallen and was refusing to seek medical attention. L convinced him (and by convincing, I mean offering him a choice between: willingly leaving for hospital, going by ambulance or being Tased) to go to the hospital for stitches in his head. It was a deep wound and ugly as all get out.

Upon arrival at the hospital, S (the husband) was offered sutures (which he declined) and then was told even if he declined sutures, they were keeping him anyway for a CT scan. The scan showed severe bleeding on the brain and bruising in both the front and back of his brain.

Shortly after that, S went into a coma and has remained in the hospital since. On Saturday night/Sunday early morning, he opened his eyes for the first time since Tuesday. This is not to say he is out of the woods, far from it, but he is alive.

My wonderful Sister (and Boy Wonder) was kind enough to deliver a care package for them from me yesterday. It was all I could do from here while wishing I could do so much more.

This is the second friend this year that has had a horrible experience like this.

Please take it from me -- love one another. Be thankful for each other. Be thankful for the time you have together. Tell people that you love them. Tell them that you care. Be there for them. There is no guarantees of tomorrow, barely a guarantee of the next minute.

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