2008
Losing a Loved One
First scanned Swedish version of the article from ÖB, second scan
Losing a loved one can be the worst experience anyone ever faces and I am certainly not going to try and diminish how horrible this feeling can be. Some people have extraordinary difficulties letting go of someone they love after they have passed away and this is usually due to the close bond they 
shared while the person they loved was still alive, although there are sometimes other reasons as well. If you have never lost anyone you love dearly you will not know how you will react until you have gone through the experience.
There is no right or wrong way to act or feel after losing someone you love since everyone will deal with this event differently depending on their personality and how this person touched their life. Death is something that you just cannot put your finger on no matter how much of a spiritual or religious person you are or not. Even if you believe in life after death, losing a loved one can be devastating since that person is no longer around anymore.
I am certainly not an expert on the topic of losing a loved one if there is such a thing as an expert on this. While I was in school I lost a few school friends and during my 60 years of living I have known quite a few people who have died but when my mother passed away some 35 years ago,at the young age of only 39, it was my first experience of losing someone so very close to me that I loved and someone who had a profound effect on my life.
It was the first time I really took a long hard look at the concept of death and like I assume everyone else feels, it is a very difficult idea to get your head around. One minute someone who means the world to you is here and the next minute they are gone forever and you can never talk to them ever again. It is just a bit too overwhelming to think about. Of course as a christian we have this hope of seeing them in Heaven and this is a great comfort.
Losing someone you love is a horrible event to go through but I guess it is virtually impossible to avoid in life. I felt horrible when I received the news about my mom's death. I was on the way to see her at the hospital and to help her with her release papers. I had also purchased a bouquet of flowers to cheer her up and to welcome her home.
I seldom saw her lose her temper and everyone who ever met her always liked her. I wanted to be just like her in that way, and still aspire to her wonderful ways of living and doing for others before putting herself first. I know now deep down that I have never lost her, she will always be in my thoughts and I am a better person as a result of having such a loving parent. She would not want me to be unhappy and although I miss her she will always remain alive in my heart.
Over the years I have gone to many funerals of dear friends and relatives. As one gets older, you begin to think more about death it seems. Somehow a funeral reminds one that we all eventually have to pass through this door. For me of course it is simply entering into Eternal Life and it is something I am looking forward to.
I have lost my wife of 15 years back in 1982 and in the past year I have lost over 5 friends. Just this morning yet another friend died from an ongoing battle with cancer at the early age of only 55. Recently I asked my 90 year young dad, how often did he see his friends? And he replied: "What friends?! They are all dead". Again, it hit home that life on earth is not forever.
Everyone will deal with losing a loved one in their own way but I like to think of death as a part of life and accept it immediately since it is inevitable.
I do not see myself as a particularly tough person, but I do see coping with death as one of the great lessons in life that should make us appreciate the life we often take for granted and make the most of what we have while we still have it. All aspects of life move in cycles and death is just part of the cycle.
One Good Book says that: "Our life is but a vapor"
. In the blink of an eye, we are gone. With that thought, let's do all we can to live our lives well, doing good, helping others and spreading some love around. God knows this world needs some.
Vet ni vad som ska hända i morgon? Vår livslängd, är lika osäker som morgodimman-ena ögonlicket ser vi den, i nästa är den borta...
Jakobs (James) brev 4:14
Christian-Charles de Plicque, journalist: Österbottningen tidning (Karlebys' Daily Newspaper)
and for: Angel House International Missions Ministries Association
www.deplicque.net
2008
(Article also available in Swedish and French)
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