LJ Idol, Week 4, The Elephant in the Living Room

[louiement]

Not only is there an elephant in the room, but it's a dead elephant. Well, slightly more accurately, it's a dying elephant, and it's probably only a matter of days before it crosses the line into whatever heaven elephants in living rooms go to. It will still be there, though. Elephants are terrible guests, because once they get in there, it's

Comments

[basric]

This is one of the healthiest most intelligent things I have ever read.

Every word is true. Society first doesn't want to be reminded of their own mortality, as you said and they think it is unhealthy for those left grieving to ever speak of their dead love ones. I could not say it any better than you do than honoring her and your uncle by getting him to share with you of his wonderful memories.

Such a very excellent piece of writing. I'd like to take a printout and pin it on our bulletin board at the hospital.

[louiement]

If you would like, please feel free to post a printout. If it helps even one person, it was worth writing it. Just credit it to "louiement."

And thank you for the compliment of saying it's good enough to share. I appreciate it.

[basric]

I shall print and post it do you want your screen name blacked out or left open?

And thanks.

[basric]

As you can see I jumped and commented before I let the entire comment sink in Sorry. Creds it will be.

[wyliekat]

I shut my mouth, pick up my skirt, and join the pachyderm polka.

Standing ovation for that particular piece of prose and for all of this - don't be surprised to emerge number one in your tribe this week.

[louiement]

*laughs* Thanks for the compliment. I think I'd have to self-promote more than I do, though, and I don't have time for it.

[pickleboot]

ditto this. i want to send this to my mom, who has sisters who want to prolong grandma's life.

then again, no one but keir and i spoke to her about grandpa. that is sad. talk about her to your uncle when she is gone. until keir, no one had talked about orv/dad/grandpa until i dared to with keir. she loved it.

[louiement]

Go right ahead and share it with your mom, with my love. How is your grandma doing? I've been thinking of you.

[pickleboot]

as well as can be expected. working on dying. gracefully, as always. she always did everything with grace and an air of practicality, and she is going about dying the same way. she has, in her not knowing anyone state, a calender with all holidays, birthdays, anniversaries of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, planned trips of the previous, important dates, all the things that could interfere with her funeral, and has blocked time off to die. it's efficient in that scandinavian way.

i love her, i wish her a swift passage, to be with her husband, who died 25 years ago, who she now sees every time our son visits. it's hard.

[myrna_bird]

You are proactively working through your stages of grief.
You have expressed it very well here.

[louiement]

*sigh* I might as well work on it. Heaven knows it's not going anywhere if I don't. And thank you for the compliment.

[myrna_bird]

A pat on the back never hurts! You're welcome.

[majesticzaichik]

I really liked how you wrote this. I'm really sorry about your aunt, but at least now you have the courage to ask your uncle the questions you've always wanted to ask. It will really make him feel better too.

[louiement]

Thank you. And you're right, it was while writing this that I realized I need to ask my uncle a thousand questions. Might as well get started!