Bittersweet

Part of my work as a medium through Conscious Insight is to offer solace and perspective to individuals who have lost loved ones. Each session is an opportunity to reaffirm life’s continuous evolution. It is an honor to facilitate a sense of calm, connection, and closure. Two weeks ago, a dear friend died unexpectedly. His passing reminded me, while we may understand that spirit never dies, the physical loss shakes us to the core. There is a vacant spot in our heart where that person resided. They continue their journey, and we feel bereft and sometimes abandoned. 

As I thought about my friend and the gift of his presence, the children’s book, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf  by Leo Buscaglia, came to mind. As an educator, I often recommended it to parents when my students lost a pet, a grandparent, or a sibling. This morning I found the book, took it off the shelf, and cried rereading the familiar words.

“Everything dies. We experience the sun and moon, the wind and rain. We learn to dance and to laugh. Then we die… We all fear what we don’t know. You were not afraid when spring became summer. You were not afraid when summer became fall. Why should you be afraid of the season of death? At dawn the wind came that took Freddie from his branch. It didn’t hurt at all. He felt himself float quietly, gently, and softly downward. As he fell, he saw the whole tree for the first time. In this new position he was more comfortable than he had ever been.” 

I closed the book, held it close and wished my friend safe travels on his journey. The sadness we experience is proportional to the love and joy we shared. Bittersweet.