Waiting

Here we are in the Advent season, a time of anticipation. We look forward to Christmas and celebrating the birth of Jesus. In our family, we have another sense of anticipation right now. We are anticipating the death of Jack's brother, Mike. Heavy and very deep. Mike was hospitalized the day after Thanksgiving and came home with hospice six days later. Things have changed quite a bit since a week ago tonight when Mike was sitting on the office chair in his family room and he was sharing stories about the old days at Rollins College (some which I had never heard before...really good ones!) As of tonight, Mike is in and out, but still Mike. I greeted him with our traditional "UNcle Mike!" (accent on the un) and he opened his eyes and said. "Aunt Patty!". It is not clear how soon it will be, but it is clear that Mike is....dying. I kept trying to think of another word to use, but that is what it is. Mike is dying. Why don't I want to use that word? That is what we are all born to do. It's his turn now, but we will each get our turn at some point. People HATE it when I say that, but it is true. And not a bad thing. Just gotta be ready for it. And I truly believe that Mike is. And as we wait for Mike to make that transition, I am reminded how similar it is to wait for a death as it is to wait for a birth. You never know when it will happen...you try to make plans and every day seems like a month and then the physical changes begin (e.g., the water breaks and labor begins/breathing becomes slower and more shallow) and it may take 48 hours or it may take 30 minutes and it is scary and it is momentous and it is full of unknowns, and then....it happens and nothing is ever the same but a new life begins. And it is beautiful.
God is good.

the quintessential Uncle Mike picture