I didn’t ask to be broken.

I didn’t ask to go through hell on earth.

I didn’t want to leave that hospital alone.

I didn’t want to say goodbye.

I didn’t want my children to be fatherless.

This isn’t the life I would have chosen,

But I get to choose who I will become:

will I rise up and find beauty from ashes?

or

will I stay sitting in the ashes,

refusing to forgive,
refusing to be grateful
refusing to choose joy?

No, life is too short and Eternity too long not to make the best choices with the days I have left in my temporary home.
I know what my Beloved wants for me…

Shari Snyder
Widowed at 48