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My Father's Hands

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My Father’s Hands My father passed away a year ago from a brain bleed after a massive stroke. I was with him in the ER the first evening he arrived. There was a lot of activity in his room. Several nurses rushed in and out. He looked at me with a broad smile, rambled some gibberish, and then laughed as if he just said something hysterical. I smiled back with a forced laugh. Shortly after that he closed his eyes and it was the last time I saw them. I am so grateful I was able to be with him in those last moments of consciousness, even though his ability to really communicate had been severely compromised. Blood was quickly pooling around his brain, cutting off oxygen. I had no idea it was the last time to hear his voice or see him smile. Now, a cherished, but painful memory for me. Our family was never a touchy-feely kind of family, but in the moment, holding my fathers hand felt like the right thing to do. I imagined somewhere in his mind he might be scared, so I reached down a...
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The Friend I Didn't Know

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The Doctor's Wife

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Do you feel like the only thing you can be is broken? Have you listened to the lie that you can never be whole again, complete, wanted, and loved? It’s a dark valley to live in, but it's all just an illusion. You can get back up and dust yourself off, as they are always saying. You can squint your eyes and find that small spark of light in the distance. Just start walking and don’t stop. Sing aloud to drown out the whispers telling you that you will never make it. And never forget, even in the darkness you can make a difference.  I found myself on a flight a few weeks ago headed for my holiday vacation. My daughter and I had selected an extra seat for our row so we could fly comfortably to our destination. The airline overbooked seats and in the final moments before the door closed, a well dressed woman slipped into the empty seat next to our window. We chatted briefly about flying and then I pulled out the book I had selected for the flight. I had originally planned to bring a dif...
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