I met someone this weekend. Totally random because I’ve not been out of the house much at all (still a lot of dog-separation anxiety). Somehow we got to talking about life, and then death and then he mentioned that his mother had passed away last year. She had a bout with cancer (second time), and she didn’t want to continue the fight.

He told me that during the first bout they almost lost her. He was much younger and really didn’t know how to say good-bye. At the time they were so caught up in the situation rather than being in the moment. Had he lost her then, he said, he would have had so many loose (life) ends. The second time, he was able to say all that he wanted to (including good-bye) and spend the time that he needed. I was shocked at how open he was about his life experiences … this was like a 7-minute chat!

During our conversation, I started to cry (typical, I know). This time from July 4 to August 21 is always hard for me (her six weeks from diagnosis to death). And, interestingly enough, I always meet someone during this period …

Anyway, he reminded me that saying goodbye to someone we care about can be one of the most difficult things we ever do. However, good-byes can be a second chance for growth and personal development. For him, he was able to focus on the positive nature of his mom’s influence on his life. And his ability to be more present with other people. He asked me what positive came out of my mom’s death. Of course, it was my relationship with my dad and frankly my ability to know how to say good-bye when his time came near (his was six weeks from diagnosis to death too).

I’m not sure the reason for that chance meeting or this post. But maybe it’s to remind us to find the positive aspect of all that is difficult and painful. Maybe it’s to not rush through our relationships, friendships, our days or our experiences. It’s funny, but despite crying (read: sobbing) with a stranger, I left feeling so happy and full of purpose about life. Gosh, maybe that was the reason for the meeting …

Regardless, hope you have a great start to your week!

xoxo Jessica