Open Hands - Living With Dying

I wrote a short poem a while back about living life with open hands:

I will live my life with Open Hands

Courageously – taking what I'm given
Humbly – supporting what I have
Joyfully – giving what is taken
Faithfully – trusting what You will

I will live my life with Open Hands

This may sound defeatist, but I believe that much of life's happiness comes from contentment. Being content, regardless of your circumstances, is the only path to peace.

This doesn't mean you give up. You still scrap and persevere to gain what is needed for life.  It isn't taking the easy road. It's knowing that at the end of the day, or at the end of life, you've done your part and kept commitments to love an live at the highest level you could.

Cathy an I are both in the process of losing our Dads. Each has been a different path. My Dad has had Parkinson's for a decade of slowly deteriorating. Cathy's Dad has been in a fight with cancer that until the last year he was winning. Both are losing their battles quickly. 

So how does contentment fit in when you are losing someone you love?

I will live my life with open hands

Courageously - taking the pain along with recognizing that death is part of life
Humbly - supporting them through this process along with the rest of the family
Joyfully - giving through grief what will be taken whether I let go with joy or anger
Faithfully - trusting that each will be accepted into something much greater than this

I will live my life with open hands

Contentment and peace are the essence of living with things that cannot be changed.

Courage and humility are the keys to changing things I cannot live with.

Joy and faith can be the outcome of either process, it's my choice.

Simply,

Tim