26 August 2007

Be Still, and Know that I am God

I have a hard time being still. It’s not in my nature. I’m used to moving, doing, making things happen.

And then I hit a wall where I can’t do or move or make anything happen the way I want.

Daddy died, and I was privileged to be there and help make the decisions that allowed him to go on. In dignity. In his own time and way.

Shannon got schizophrenic while I was gone. I had to talk him down over the phone and convince him to take a sleeping pill so he would be better. I was 750 miles away and couldn’t be home in less than 12 hours.

It was all I could do, and I was painfully aware of how little that was and how far away I was.

He took his pill, finally, thank the Lord.

I got back home to work and home and laundry.

Life and death come and go. Laundry always remains.

I went back home again a couple of weeks ago. The “circus” had left town, as I put it. Me and Mama had time to visit. We went to see my grandma in the nursing home. We put flowers out on Daddy’s grave. And we picked out a headstone for the two of them.

I came back home to find that one of our closest friend’s mother-in-law had been killed in an auto accident. I didn’t know Jeanne, but, now that I know more about her, wish I had.

Doesn’t matter. I know her daughter and son-in-law and grandkids and great-grandkid.

Life is swirling around me to the point that being still just doesn’t seem an option.

I was on the phone with Mama earlier today, and as I was saying goodbye, I just busted out in tears. She said, “It’s okay, Jeffery. I do that sometimes, too.”

I’m going to concentrate on being still for now. I have gone and done and moved and shaken all that I can. Now it’s time to let someone else drive.


Not that someone else hasn’t been all along.

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