Comments on: The Greatest Of These http://www.johnmichalak.com/2009/05/the-greatest-of-these/ spirituality, art, inspiration...relationship Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:04:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Michalak http://www.johnmichalak.com/2009/05/the-greatest-of-these/comment-page-1/#comment-35 John Michalak Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:33:24 +0000 http://eiszoe.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/the-greatest-of-these#comment-35 Hey Sam, Thanks for the comment. I'm so sorry for your grandmother's illness and for the pain you and your family are going through. Not to repeat what I said above, but I do have some glimpse about your grief as I went through it with my wife's mother, although not with my own parents. While I won't suggest you do anything you're uncomfortable with, I would encourage you to reconsider visitng your grandmother. What I concluded in my own situation was that despite appearances or physical indications, I believe these people do benefit from your presence, your voice, your touch, whether they show it or not. Maybe not in the same way you or I do, but somehow, I think there's an awareness. Even at her worst, my mother-in-law used to react in some ways to us when we sang hymns to her, or hugged her. And, we always spoke to her with kindness and love, and I think that helped too. And, you could even read the Bible to her. Perhaps it would all be too emotional for you, but if you feel up to it, I think it would bless you both. Again, I'll pray for you and your loss and that you can find some of that "redemptive light" I alluded to above. Hey Sam,

Thanks for the comment. I’m so sorry for your grandmother’s illness and for the pain you and your family are going through. Not to repeat what I said above, but I do have some glimpse about your grief as I went through it with my wife’s mother, although not with my own parents. While I won’t suggest you do anything you’re uncomfortable with, I would encourage you to reconsider visitng your grandmother. What I concluded in my own situation was that despite appearances or physical indications, I believe these people do benefit from your presence, your voice, your touch, whether they show it or not. Maybe not in the same way you or I do, but somehow, I think there’s an awareness. Even at her worst, my mother-in-law used to react in some ways to us when we sang hymns to her, or hugged her. And, we always spoke to her with kindness and love, and I think that helped too. And, you could even read the Bible to her. Perhaps it would all be too emotional for you, but if you feel up to it, I think it would bless you both. Again, I’ll pray for you and your loss and that you can find some of that “redemptive light” I alluded to above.

]]> By: Maggie http://www.johnmichalak.com/2009/05/the-greatest-of-these/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Maggie Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:31:02 +0000 http://eiszoe.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/the-greatest-of-these#comment-34 Man, This is touching....... Of Course there's a ton of emotions, sorrow and sadness.... I will pray for you and yours. What a FAMILY you have! How GREAT they ALL!!!!! I am very sickly too. In fact I am dying. But I LOVE to laugh and to learn about people.....Thats ONE good thing about the Web.You can meet some of the sweetest people....that HELP you thru your days of weakness. May God continue to Bless you and May I deal with this if it ever happens to my parents....My Mother and Sister say my Daddy has Alzeimers......but he acts OK to me. So I don't know..........? Peace and Gods Blessing to you and yours.... Man, This is touching…….

Of Course there’s a ton of emotions, sorrow and sadness….
I will pray for you and yours. What a FAMILY you have! How GREAT they ALL!!!!!

I am very sickly too. In fact I am dying. But I LOVE to laugh and to learn about people…..Thats ONE good thing about the Web.You can meet some of the sweetest people….that HELP you thru your days of weakness.

May God continue to Bless you and May I deal with this if it ever happens to my parents….My Mother and Sister say my Daddy has Alzeimers……but he acts OK to me. So I don’t know……….?

Peace and Gods Blessing to you and yours….

]]> By: Erika http://www.johnmichalak.com/2009/05/the-greatest-of-these/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Erika Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:30:08 +0000 http://eiszoe.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/the-greatest-of-these#comment-33 I feel very touched :) my grandfather has recently gone into an old folk's home because of Alzheimer's Unfortunately he had a different type of Alzheimer's disease; it affected the rear lobes of his brain It's harder for my grandmother than any of the rest of us, but it's also good to see her readjusting to a life where she is also of some importance and to see her doing new things, like learning to drive a car again and teaching Tai Chi It's hard, but it's good in a terrible way - a terrible mercy. I feel very touched :) my grandfather has recently gone into an old folk’s home because of Alzheimer’s Unfortunately he had a different type of Alzheimer’s disease; it affected the rear lobes of his brain It’s harder for my grandmother than any of the rest of us, but it’s also good to see her readjusting to a life where she is also of some importance and to see her doing new things, like learning to drive a car again and teaching Tai Chi It’s hard, but it’s good in a terrible way – a terrible mercy.

]]> By: Susana Maria Rosende http://www.johnmichalak.com/2009/05/the-greatest-of-these/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Susana Maria Rosende Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:29:32 +0000 http://eiszoe.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/the-greatest-of-these#comment-32 John, I couldn't help but weep as I read this blog, since there must be a grieving process one goes through when a close relative or friend has Alzheimer's, similar to the grief one feels for a loss through death. Yet, your writing reminds us that there are always lessons learned from tragedies in life, the greatest being unconditional love such as that of God. Thank you for sharing your writings. I find myself coming back to your blogs every day. Please keep writing. Your writing is as inspirational as your music. Susana John, I couldn’t help but weep as I read this blog, since there must be a grieving process one goes through when a close relative or friend has Alzheimer’s, similar to the grief one feels for a loss through death. Yet, your writing reminds us that there are always lessons learned from tragedies in life, the greatest being unconditional love such as that of God.

Thank you for sharing your writings. I find myself coming back to your blogs every day. Please keep writing. Your writing is as inspirational as your music.

Susana

]]> By: Sam http://www.johnmichalak.com/2009/05/the-greatest-of-these/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Sam Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:28:29 +0000 http://eiszoe.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/the-greatest-of-these#comment-31 I really like this blog... I have been one of those people who have been grief struck because my grandmother has Alzheimers. She has had it for well over 2 years now and it only gets worse. Eventually we had to put her in a nursing home because my grandfather could no longer take care of her as she needed. Whenever I actually went to see her I just thought back to the times when I could actually talk to her and she would understand me and talk back and when we would leave she would come outside the front door and wave goodbye to us. But then it got to the point where she couldn't even get out of the chair she sat in. It eventually got where I couldn't really stand to see her because I was so heart broken and now I don't see her anymore because I think what is the use in going if she isn't going to know we are there. I wish I could just pray for her and it would all be over and she would be back to normal, but that pray is long gone. The only thing I can do now is surrender to God... it's the best thing to do. I can't let the emotions get in the way and I don't think you could have said it any better. Well thanks for your time on looking this over. Sorry if it seemed like I was lecturing. God Bless and ttyl I really like this blog… I have been one of those people who have been grief struck because my grandmother has Alzheimers. She has had it for well over 2 years now and it only gets worse. Eventually we had to put her in a nursing home because my grandfather could no longer take care of her as she needed. Whenever I actually went to see her I just thought back to the times when I could actually talk to her and she would understand me and talk back and when we would leave she would come outside the front door and wave goodbye to us. But then it got to the point where she couldn’t even get out of the chair she sat in. It eventually got where I couldn’t really stand to see her because I was so heart broken and now I don’t see her anymore because I think what is the use in going if she isn’t going to know we are there. I wish I could just pray for her and it would all be over and she would be back to normal, but that pray is long gone. The only thing I can do now is surrender to God… it’s the best thing to do. I can’t let the emotions get in the way and I don’t think you could have said it any better. Well thanks for your time on looking this over. Sorry if it seemed like I was lecturing. God Bless and ttyl

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