It’s All a Matter of Perspective!

My twin sister, Denise, is in bed resting at this point. She has had a busy couple of days visiting with friends and family. But something happened today. We noticed that her strength was less today. It seems to us that she is having a harder time getting up and around, but she is determined. That’s the great thing about witnessing what my twin sister is going through. Her faculties are with us still and she is making all of her decisions in the way that she wants. That’s a good thing because it makes it so much easier for the rest of us to simply do what she wants us to do and we are not second-guessing what she would or would not like.

Moreover, she is concerned for what everybody is thinking. She looked at me today and told me not to worry about anything. Let me tell you what she said, “Den, I don’t want you to worry about anything. O.K.? Don’t worry, Den.” My response was simple, “O.K., Niecey.” She is looking to ensure that my parents are doing alright. It is a precious thing to see how they interact with her. My Dad, being the loving father that he is, lights up when his baby girl lights up. Her eyes sparkle around him. My Mom, being the loving mother that she is, has been through thick and thin with Denise. She has been with my twin sister this entire journey–literally, this entire journey. Mom and Denise are the best of friends. They know how to relate to one another. They can read each other like books.

I told my Dad yesterday something with which I have been struggling. It is not an easy thing to think through. For over a year now, I have thought of this cancer with which she has been dealing and I have thought that we may come to this point. It is a difficult thing for me to even discuss right now. I said to my Dad, “Dad, I feel like half of me is dying.” My Dad, with all of the wisdom of Solomon, retorted, “No, son! Half of you is not dying; half of you is about to be living life like never before!”

Did you catch that? Half of me is going to be living like never before! My twin sister, Denise, is about to experience what I have only looked toward. She is going to be smelling the sweet smell of heaven. She is going to be in the Light that is so bright that there is no shadow of turning with Him. No, half of me is not dying. Half of me is living life like never before. The trouble that I see in the coming days–weeks–months–perhaps years–is that I will have to wait to join her in living life like never before. I will have pain and I will have tears. Niecey, on the other hand, will have joy inexpressible.

Perspective truly is everything.