Reviews from

Regrets

The Loss Of My Sons

42 total reviews 
Comment from gramalot8
Excellent
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I'm sorry you lost all three sons so tragically. I've been blessed with three children and 8 grandchildren... but I understand your feeling of loss as I lost a granddaughter who died too young at the age of 19. Loss is grief more felt when it involves a child.
I've been blessed also with 7 great grandchildren snd one more on the way. I'm sorry you've missed out on that joyful part of life.
If you believe in the hereafter, hopefully you will still have the chance yo raise your boys there.
But I am happy for you that you are working on being satisfied with your life as it has turned out.
Thank you for sharing your story with us and God ble.

 Comment Written 14-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 14-Dec-2023
    Thank you. I'm glad you have all your wonderful family. I have adjusted to life as it is and will be. Grief is a heavy burden for one to carry for a lifetime, but I learned a releasing technique that has helped tremendously to let go of the pain of the memories. I feel much lighter and happier than I used to.
Comment from Rachelle Allen
Excellent
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This is poignant, but not mournful. It is a wise reminder that everyone has "stuff" to deal with, but how you handle it is at the root of whether or not your life remains worth living. You have suffered great losses, but you have maintained your ability to find day-to-day joys. I admire your spirit very much and consider you a fine example of wisdom and strength. Good luck with this entry; it's excellent. xo

 Comment Written 14-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 14-Dec-2023
    Thank you. The hard work on our dairy farm helped. Also, I rescued countless cats, dogs, and horses throughout the years. It gave me something to care about when I needed it most. In recent years, I learned a releasing technique that has helped me to let go of the pain and grief associated with the memories. It really helped, and I feel so much lighter and happier now.
reply by Rachelle Allen on 14-Dec-2023
    I'm happy to read that. It's never too late to find peace.
Comment from Teri7
Excellent
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This is a very well written story full of heart break. Tom and I have only one grandson. We have three married sons, but only one grandchild. I am very thankful for him. I will share him with you! He is a great 9 year old that is very smart and handsome. Thank you for sharing with us! love and blessings, Teri

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 14-Dec-2023
    Thank you, and thanks for sharing your grandson with me. It means a lot to know others care. I wish you a blessed, love-filled life.
Comment from LJbutterfly
Excellent
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Part of your story resonates with me. I have no grands. My first pregnancy resulted in a baby girl who lived only hours. My husband saw her, but the doctors wouldn't let me see her because I was too distraught they said. Four years later I had a baby girl who never got married until she was age fifty.

Your story includes more challenges. However, it's inspirational in that you sound as though you have found peace, joy, and satisfaction. I hope I'm right. Best wishes in the contest.

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 14-Dec-2023
    Thank you. There is no pain as bad as that of losing a child, which I'm sure you know. Life can be challenging, and we can roll with the punches or curl up and die. I almost took the first option at one point, but I found a way to live with it in the end.
Comment from Mintybee
Excellent
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Poignant and personal, this family non-fiction touches the heart. I'm sorry for your losses. I'm glad you have Cindy and your animal family. You painted a beautiful picture here of love and loss.
Mintybee

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 14-Dec-2023
    Thank you. It was touch and go for a while, but I have learned to live with the loss of my boys. I started rescuing animals, which gave me something to care for, and the hard work on our farm helped. I', fine now, and the cats, dog, and Cindy are blessings to have.
Comment from Jacob1395
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

I am so sorry for the loss you have experienced. Life can be very cruel, but I am glad that you have found a way to adapt. I can only imagine the trauma you've been through, but I could feel the emotion in your writing as I was reading it. An excellent piece.

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 14-Dec-2023
    Thank you, and thanks for the six stars. It was very hard, but I have learned to adapt. The hard work on our dairy farm helped, and I rescued countless cats, dogs, and horses over the years. It gave me something to care for when I needed it most. Thank you for caring.
Comment from lyenochka
Excellent
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I remember that tragic accident when your son died. I didn't know about the babies that died. It isn't fair. But I also know others on this site and a few no longer here who also know that painful loss of a child.

That you have a sense of contentment shows your strength and resilience. And that you have a niece who loves you, shows that you have mothered her. If you have the energy, there are so many children who would love to have surrogate grandmother. There are lots of literacy programs through schools and libraries where people teach young ones with learning difficulties to read.

Anyway, thank you for sharing your situation. Best wishes in the contest!

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 13-Dec-2023
    Thank you. I think I have replaced having grandchildren with caring for abused and abandoned animals. Most animals bond with me instantly. Read the story about Sweet Willy, a horse I once rescued, and you will see what I mean. At this point in life, I'm quite content without children. I'm sure I would have felt differently if my sons had lived.
reply by lyenochka on 13-Dec-2023
    I read your Willy story and I'm so glad you are using your gift with animals to bless these beautiful creatures that God made!
Comment from Michele Harber
Excellent
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What a beautiful piece of writing. The crux of the story is the loss of your sons, and your lack of grandchildren as a result. This should have been a sad read, but your acceptance, and all the positive things you say about your life, keep this from being maudlin. Instead, it's positive (yes, I do believe you'll see your boys again one day), and you even manage to inject a bit of humor (about your car becoming "new" again one day thanks to all the replacement parts).

I'm 62 with an amazing 19-year-old daughter who is on the very high-functioning end of the autism spectrum. For various reasons, I've come to the conclusion that I'll never have grandchildren. I also have one sister and three brothers-in-law, none of whom have children, so I don't even get to be an aunt. But, like you, I do have a generally happy life, and I try to concentrate on what I have, not what I don't.

I'm glad you entered this in a contest about satisfaction. It's proof that life doesn't have to give you all you wanted, simply enough for you to be satisfied. Kudos to you for this attitude, and thank you for sharing these very personal thoughts.

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 13-Dec-2023
    Thank you, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. I agree with you. There is nothing to be gained by grieving forever for something you cannot change, so I decided just to be happy with the little things in my life. I love animals and always have. They have a tremendous amount of love to give if one understands them. I have spent a lot of years, since the death of my last son, rescuing animals, even horses. No, it's not the same as having children, but it filled the emptiness in my heart and still does.
reply by Michele Harber on 13-Dec-2023
    It's wonderful that you have something that makes your life worthwhile. My father-in-law lost his wife in September (yes, I lost my mother and mother-in-law five months apart), but doting on their dog gives him purpose, so I fully understand what you're saying. Best of luck to you (in life and in the contest).
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Excellent
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This is a very nicely told .... I don't know how to classify it, but it certainly fits the contest. Nicely done.
Yes, life is a tragedy for many. And certainly does not seem fair.
You have my best wishes.

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 13-Dec-2023
    Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. We can only do one of two things after tragedies like this. We can give up and grieve forever, or we can go on the best we can with our lives. I will never forget my sons, but I have learned to accept their deaths and appreciate the little things in life.
Comment from Karen Cherry Threadgill
Excellent
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No grandchildren here either. My son's father was an abuser so neither one wanted to continue that line so no grandkids. I had really been looking forward to it. But life goes on just the same. we learn to adapt.
You write well. Karen

 Comment Written 13-Dec-2023


reply by the author on 13-Dec-2023
    Thank you. Life is strange, and sometimes it doesn't go as planned. We have to roll with the punches and keep on keeping on. I can't say it was easy, but I have made it this far, so I might as well make it as long as it takes. Besides, I have to stay here for my animal family.
reply by Karen Cherry Threadgill on 13-Dec-2023
    :-)