A perspective of perseverance during dark times

It is said that here are five stages of grief:  Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.  These intense emotions are a normal reaction to tragic events.  The following piece is about Acceptance and maintaining an optimistic outlook and to recognize that tough times don’t last forever.

It is often said that there is no light at the end of a tragedy. I don't believe this to be true. In May 1981, my sister, Jill, was in a car accident that left her in a coma for three years. She passed away in 1984. She was in and out of hospitals for a traumatic brain injury and eventually ended up at home.  My parents took care of her. I learned a lot about perseverance and living in grace from my parents. They were destroyed by the accident but decided to not live in despair or sadness. They took care of my sister with the help of friends and neighbors.  The out pouring of love for my sister and my family was tremendous from small acts of kindness, neighbors sending dinners for a year, doing laundry, nurses coming and helping take care of my sister while she was home, emotional support, and friendship. I learned that there are wonderful people in this world.

My parents taught me about forgiveness, character strength and not quitting when things don’t work out the way you want them to. Life is worth the pain and sorrow because happiness and joy are just around the corner.  My Dad volunteered for the Connecticut Brain Injured foundation for many years and my Mom volunteered in the hospital working with burn patients and in physical therapy.  They choose to live their lives in the moment and not dwell in the past. I know it wasn’t easy for them and they missed my sister every day.   

My Dad carried a poem in his wallet that I found after he died.  It’s called DON’T QUIT.  The author is anonymous, but my favorite lines are:

So stick to the light when you are hardest hit.

It’s when things seem worse,

That you must not quit.

The world is a little crazy right now

but I believe that we will persevere and come out in the light