When someone in the immediate family is at a painful crossroads, doing nothing is not an option. Mail with encouraging words, meals dropped off, a cheerful attitude when you're together, and letting the hurting know you always offer a soft place to fall are all options that help you keep your sanity and, hopefully, help things a teensy bit. They must find their own way, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, life is not a bowl of cherries. . .all those cliches may be true, but seem trite when days are dark and sleep hard to come by. I do often think of the bible quote (and Richard Chamberlain movie) "Joy cometh in the Morning". So I tell myself to hang on, time will pass, occupy yourself with soul filling things - and try not to process against hubby's ear too often. Learn piano pieces by heart, try learning to play the guitar, read books, take walks, take pictures of flowers, and concentrate on someone else. I have a friend in Texas closing up the house of her recently deceased father; another friend is on a 32 day cruise of Europe, a family member is finding retirement a challenge, yet, another friend is trying out her teaching skills in Doha, Qatar, and a devoted husband provides me a safe place to fall every day. Life is truly an adventure, sometimes a 1, sometimes a 10. Here's to working back up to that blissful 10 for all my family.
