Tuesday November 13, 2007
In the past I have written about the afterlife experiences of my ex-husband Ralph who died of cancer on 11/13/05 at age 67. Though divorced, he and I remained good friends.
Ralph, as many readers know, visits from time to time to talk. Being a smoker for 50 years, he generally smokes up the room when he gets here, which is most annoying. The last time I smelled the smoke was in October, the magical day Dennis and I went upstate. Ralph spent many years going back and forth to the Catskill Mountain resorts for business and pleasure, that area holding fond memories for him.
Today, on the second anniversary of Ralph's death, as I sat here blogging, I the fragrance of roses wafted through the room. Ralph knew how much I love roses and, like me, was a romantic at heart. At first I couldn't connect the fragrance with a spirit, until I turned and saw Ralph standing there. I could see his sadness at not being here for the holidays and enjoying the children and grandchildren.
The lesson is self evident - when it comes to taking care of one's body - you lose it if you abuse it. Emotions cannot rule over the physical, unless you really want a way out, and I don't believe Ralph did. For years we all told him to stop smoking. Perhaps the reason he didn't listen to us was because he was hardly ever sick and thought he could rise above what some consider a death sentence. Addictions will kill, sooner or later, as will undiagnosed and untreated mental illnesses.
We are entering holiday season, Thanksgiving is next week. This is the time my family and I come together.
Holidays are an emotional time - pushing buttons old and new - issues with tissues - for review with greater understanding in higher light.
Ralph