“Now bless thyself: thou met’st with things dying, I with things newborn.”
—William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale
With every new beginning, we look back over “things dying.” We look forward to “things newborn” and we hear those first three words, ringing out an invitation to us to bless ourselves, and allow ourselves to be blessed.
Can we believe that God blesses all that is past? All of the last dying year? The projects, the relationships, the successes, the failures? Can we then turn to receive the blessing of all that will come to birth in the year ahead and in all our years to come?
It is a sacred moment to be present to either a birth or a death. At the turning of the year we are present to both at the same time. A double blessing.
Remember any dyings or birthings that you have known, whatever form they may have taken. Hold them in your heart and receive God’s blessing upon them.
—Excerpt by Margaret Silf from Daily Inspiration for Women
My siblings & myself had the Honour & Privilege to be with Our sister when she passed 3 1/2 years ago from 2 types of cancer. First Mylenoma,just when We thought the treatments were working,1 1/2 yrs. Then,Wham, she was hit with Pancreatic cancer in late April, 2 weeks later, She was sent home thru Hospice..She was home a lil more than a week.. We were there every step of the way .. She was so Blasted Strong!! ..She made amends to those she Felt had done wrong to & asked for their Forgiveness.. Ex husband & his current wife… Ex daughter-in-law..Her co-workers & their friends and pastors. They Held prayer sevice in her room, They too.. Were enumerated with her Strength!! If Prayers could had saved her, She still would be here. Her Struggles & Faith had a HEALING in Us All … She was talking with our deceased mother & brothers the night she passed. We had sang/prayed the Devine Mercy Chaplet@ 3pm the afternoon before she died… 6 am on Mothers Day she was called home… We were Lost without,but,yet at Peace for her…She Gave More to Us, in those last few days then we did for her.. I Will carry her Strength & Courage Always.
Having worked as a nurse in both labor and delivery and then, later in hospice care, I have been privileged to be present at many miracles of life and death. I thank the Lord for the special privileges He granted me.
I have been Truly Blessed having been present at my Children’s Births and at their Mother’s Passing…..and am Eternally Thankful for God’s Goodness.
In an instant the woman in a hospice bed took her last breath as I stood taking in this holy scene. As easily as turning my hand over from palm up to down in hers she went to the better side of here. Still in the room but also in heaven that is right here -as God her Creator is right here. A blessing for me, a grace filled gift, on I first felt at my husbands passing.
Thank you for this. I wrote just a few days ago about the miracle of being with our son and his wife late last year when their baby girl was born early and died after a just few hours. It was both heartbreaking and life-changing.
Even as I thought of it as a miracle, I had not thought of the events as sacred.
I’m still learning and look so very forward to following your writing in the future.
Thank you.