Death is never easy for those who are left behind.  Selfishly we can all say that we were not ready, he/she was our life, was too young, too smart, too generous, too kind, too talented to be taken so soon.  All of those things may be true, but I believe that those are things that we here on earth are mourning.  If we think only in terms of the soul I believe that there is no more magnificent place to exist than in heaven. 

My parents never made a big deal about death when I was young.  It is not that they ignored death or were numb to death, but for our family, it was a process.  It was something that after giving thanks for knowing that person, we moved on and only remembered and spoke about the moments in life that were worth remembering.  My parents always took us kids along to funerals because they felt it was important to be able to see the progression of life to death.  Of course, we honored those that died with prayer and told fun stories about “good times”.  But my parents never dwelled on death.  They never made us believe it was the end and they always made heaven sound like the perfect place.  Although I know that my parents felt pain due to loss, they were careful to show joy, also. 

My mom’s father died when she was very young.  She does not remember him.  Her mother raised her and her siblings, but my mom never was angry regarding death.  She wished she had known her dad, but she also believed that someday she would see him in heaven. 

My husband died suddenly when our girls were 15 months old.  He was my life and was so proud of all his children.  One day I was living the dream the next my world turned upside down. 

I was bringing home an income that could keep the girls and me financially sound.  Often I believe financial issues are one of the biggest problems when it comes to death or divorce.  Although there were times when finances were VERY tight, and times that I needed to ask for help, overall that was not a major issue at the time of my husband’s death.

I was fortunate that I had two small children to concentrate on and to bring joy into our home.  I made a conscious effort to move on with life for the girls and me.  My husband would have wanted us to be happy.  He would not have wanted the family to fall apart.    

I don’t believe there are two similar situations when it comes to death.  I think everyone’s experiences are unique.  Some are afraid to be alone, some are afraid of finances, some feel a deep loss of their loved one, and some are angry their loved one was taken away without reason.  Relying on God’s strength and believing that my husband is now with God is what gave me the strength to live my life. 

Our nation has seen some horrifying forms of death.  We have no answers for these cruel and inhuman acts, but we do have the power of prayer.  We have the power of faith.  We have God on our side.

For those of us left behind, sometimes we are angry, hurt, or confused about why God would take our loved ones.  I believe those thoughts are natural.  Accepting death can be a very difficult thing.  It is through faith and God’s strength that I believe heaven is the ultimate place to be.

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