Paying It Forward: You Are Until You’re Not!

In comfort, loving life, then it happens. We become overwhelmed when order is lost. “We all want the same things: care, comfort, and connection," shares Hadley Vlahos, Hospice RN and author.

Happy, Loved, Fed, Housed -- clothed in comfort, living life, then life happens. Transitions hurt, disrupting the touch points of our life; the most stressful five: death of a loved one, divorce, moving, major illness or injury, and job loss.  We can become overwhelmed when two or more happen concurrently or close in time. Life’s order is lost.

Realize grieving is a process that helps us place the pain of loss in the past, like a broken bone healing. Time alone in reflection perhaps as well as mourning. After a while we remember the event but the pain is not everpresent. In the last month in my immediate family, as we’ve celebrated grandchildren’s special days, we’ve lost close family members, and an equal number of dear friends.  Grieve appropriately, and then honor all as well as yourself.  My daughter gifted me the book, “The In-Between,” written by hospice nurse Hadley Vlahos, RN. “When the time comes, we all want the same things: care, comfort, and connection,” she shares. Fascinating and a healthy read.

As social creatures of free will, we need interaction with others to fuel the hope and dreams that renew and reinforce our faith. Serving others enlightens us that we are not alone.  With weekly participation, say as a “Big” or service at another nonprofit, you also realize that most others have experienced similar negative events.

Mental health appears more these days. I speculate aggravated by the pressure of measuring up to those “perfect ads” bombarding us.  Today, the average person sees around 10,000 ads per day, according to research firm Yankelevich. Quite an increase from the 2007 daily average of 5,000 per day.

A broad range of services are available to assist in dealing with your overwhelming situations. A few places to start include:

Nortex Planning Commission   940-322-5281
Interfaith Ministries                   940-322-1365
Salvation Army                          940-322-9822
Rolling Plains                            940-723-2261
Catholic Charities                      940-716-9669

Also take care of your health: My friend David ran last weekend in Georgetown’s “Get Your Rear in Gear” 5K to call attention to Colon Cancer and raise awareness of the importance of colon cancer screenings.  Volunteer, participate, be a “Big,” serve a meal.

Be a light and an angel for another in need.  Making a difference for another brightens the world. Your smile becomes infectious, calling others to volunteer also.

How Are the Children Doing? Jack Browne
Published in Times Record News, online, Sunday March 10, 2024