Let Evening Come

How do people do it? How do you lose a parent, or any loved one? How do you deal with it, and not let it consume you?

My dad was just diagnosed with lung cancer. It's pretty advanced, and he doesn't want traditional chemo. Surgery and radiation are not options.

This has floored me. I'll admit that I'm unprepared and unwilling to face my parents' mortality.

I think of friends who have lost a parent, and how they handled the situation with grace and strength. I hope I'm able to do that.

The oncologist has not been terribly forthcoming with a prognosis. A year, maybe? Maybe. We'll see how he responds to the treatment plan laid out.

I'm trying to think of all the people who lose loved ones in a heartbeat. With no warning, someone you love is gone. I'm lucky that way. I get a chance to make the most of the time that's left.