A Norvell Note forthe week of December 7, 2020
Vol. 23 No. 36
Dates We Remember
There are certain days in history that we remember exactly where we were and what we were doing.
I was in Mrs. Roger’s 5th-grade class at Guernsey School when we heard about the death of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
I was doing homework in my house listening to the radio on April 4, 1968, when I heard about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s fatal shooting while standing on the balcony outside his second-story room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
I was with high school friends on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the moon.
And I was in a staff meeting at the East Brainerd Church of Christ on September 11, 2001.
I was on my way home from school when I got off the bus at my Uncle Ruby and Aunt Eunice’s grocery store on December 8, 1964, when I learned that my mother had died at the age of 44. This week marks 56 years since that day. I was 11 years old.
Even if I am paying attention, that last date hits me with a wave of nostalgia and sadness. I remind myself it’s coming, I reflect on the many other mothers who have stepped in through the years to help fill that void, and I usually spend time being grateful for the life she lived and the heritage that she left me. After all this time, I still grieve a little.
Although we may not remember the exact time and place where we first heard the word “Coronavirus,” we will never forget the year 2020. We will all remember, and many will grieve.
For those who are grieving the loss of human life, I offer these reminders.
Moving through holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries for the first time is hard. Prepare yourself for some difficult days and nights. Preparing will not eliminate the pain, but it will help.
Let yourself grieve. You need to mourn. If you find yourself feeling angry, it is okay. If you feel like crying, it is okay to cry. Whatever you are feeling is okay. Let yourself feel it.
Let yourself grieve the way that is best for you. Good and well-meaning friends and family may tell you what you should do and how you should go through this time. Let them talk. Thank them. And then, do what you need to do. If they say, “I know exactly how you feel.” They probably don’t.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Asking for help does not mean you are a failure. It merely means you need a little help to get through a rough spell. Call a friend, visit a neighbor, spend time with family, or join a group. You do not need to go through it alone if you don’t want to.
Yes, 2020 will be a year we will always remember, but won’t it be great when we can call it a memory.
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2020 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved