Musings on Life, Love, & Death
A Three-Part Series, the Beginning, the Middle, and the End, (Or is, it?)
“I take thee to be my wedded (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” — Traditional Wedding Vows
From Till Death Do Us Part: Part I — The Beginning
Little did I know when I spoke those vows on March 14, 1970, that they would apply after our divorce. I’m grateful they did. It’s a gift that some of us are lucky enough to receive. It’s true for me and my former husband, Frank Schatzley. It required love, commitment, amends, letting go of resentments, and forgiveness. Did I say I was grateful? I am.
Today
As I write, I’m grieving and I’m grateful. I’ve often reflected how grief and gratitude go hand-in-hand. As a person of certain age, I’ve said goodbye to family, loved ones, friends, colleagues, and people who I never met in life, yet left a mark on me by their art, wisdom, or work on behalf of humanity or our planet. It sounds lofty when I write that on the page, yet it’s impossible not to be affected by people and their impact on us personally and the world we live in. Continue reading