My 10,000th post
I’ve been here since January, 2002 and it took me that long to reach this level. This is my only social media. No Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. I’m 70 years old and according to Oregon’s protocol, my age group will be eligible for vaccination starting next Monday. I’ll let you know when I have an appointment.
It’s almost the fourth anniversary of my wife’s death, fifth anniversary of her cancer diagnosis. We woke up one morning in early November, 2016 and saw the horrible news. She said, “I can handle cancer in my body, I can’t handle cancer in the country.”
I learned a lot about courage, love, community, life and dying from her journey. I was a basket case for many months. Love/Loss/Grief/Evolving recovery. I can now talk about her without breaking down. And not feel guilty about not breaking down.
I also became more patient and empathetic. I realized that in times of stress, we often say or do things we regret. Be forgiving. Stay calm, take a deep breath. Look for ways to be kind and generous. Overtip if you can afford it. We’re all in this together.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Empathy means you're in the right group here, and we're very glad you're with us. 
So sorry to hear about your wife. 
that I'd grieve as long as I lived. That was the best option I can think of.
