We all have endings to things in life - all good things must come to an end - and all that, but how you say good buy - how you end something makes all the difference. Also - the reason you end a particular thing is important as well. Mary is moving on in life and doing some things she really wants to and she leaves feeling loved and missed.
I think back over the last two decades and remember loosing the only job I had held in my adult life - I had worked there for over 17 years and I loved my job. But, having said that, I knew that I could no longer do the job due to my illness and I knew that I was laid off - more than likely because I was not well and the company needed to regionalize our department and it was known that I would not be able to meet this challenge. I came to believe that was the best thing that had ever happened to me and the right thing......but the loss and resulting mourning were inevitable and I can still reach out and touch those feelings.
Again a few years ago, I was forced to give up my administrative business after 14 plus years because my health continued to become more and more unpredictable which makes me unreliable. Again - no balloons or music - no fancy send off - just loss and pain and mourning.
While watching Mary Hart's tremendous, although somewhat sad ending, it is clear that this is a celebration. I have to admit to myself that I feel cheated - I have worked for over 34 years of my life and illness has cheated me and taken away any pride I could have relished in moving on from these endeavors.
Well, Mary has moved on already to her new life and I am cutting that pizza and ready to put this out of my mind once again. I know there is nothing to gain by wallowing in these feelings of loss - for those of us who suffer from unacceptable, invisible illnesses, our time for celebration has not come. We must pat our own backs and know and believe that we did what we could at the time. We have to keep moving through life and do what we can to accept our new situations and appreciate them for the value they bring to our life.
If anyone had told me 20 years ago that I would not be driving, rarely leaving home, depending on someone else for my transportation and making many of my decisions for me, I would have said NO WAY!!! Well Mary Hart - my reality may not be anyone's dream, but it is doable and it can be the best it can be and I am thankful each and every day for this life. As I learned today from another person ending something in their life (Oprah) - we must inhale.....don't just breathe.......take it all in!
