Feeling sad from losing someone?: We should talk more openly about the dying process.
This week I have lost a good friend of over 50 years. He was my late husband’s best friend. They came to me as a cheeky pair and always made me laugh. We met as teenagers and stayed friends through all of the ups and downs of life. My friend held my son when he was only hours old having talked his way into the maternity ward. I always knew he would be there for me if I needed help. He was a good man.
Sadly my friend has been terminally ill for 10 months. We still met up and laughed but in the background our hearts were heavy. The dying process can be protracted and not easy to participate in. As my friend’s health deteriorated, he no longer wished to meet up. He was a very private man and didn’t want me to see him as he had become. I had to respect his wishes, but it wouldn’t have worried me how he looked. He was still the friend he had always been.