LIfe is a Lesson. Everyone Our Teacher.

Those words "Life is a Lesson, Everyone Our Teacher. "are some that I read a long time ago...I have battled depression over 1/2 of my life and one of the lines that sticks out from all of those that mattered ,as I travelled on my journey of self help, is this one.

Tuesday evening smothered in grief I decided to walk my labyrinth to sort out some of the emotion I was feeling . Because the line said life is a lesson.....but what was I to take from the death of a friend that was so special to me? If life is a lesson everyone our teacher what is the role of death?
So across the valley and on to the plateau where my labyrinth is I walked. Tears flowed down my cheeks and I let my two feet that I could not feel take me there. I was numb and I was broken hearted....
As I reached the entrance to my circular path,with its rocky edges, I thanked Mother Nature for going easy on the snow this winter so I was able to access it easily in this time of need. I had sought out the healing power of the labyrinth many times before.
I faced the west as I do when I start and prayed Dear Lord help me find some comfort and understanding in this death ...Help me to see how losing someone so unexpectedly and so suddenly can be of any benefit to me ...at all...Cause right now God it doesn't feel that way ..Why was Jack taken so soon from us ............so soon from his life....
I started to walk , trusting the power of the Labyrinth to bring me some sanity to the insane, all over the place mind, I owned at that moment..

I started walking and thinking you know he was such a gentle soul God .. he cared for all he met , he shared his caring self with all . He respected nature and went out of his was for his animals maybe more so than his human friends they, got all of him. He loved his family and always looked forward to the visits of the far away ones when they came to the farm.The farm he worked daily to keep alive! The farm that he cherished . He complained at times of the hard work and the aches and pains he faced on rising in the morning ..if he had slept...he didn't sleep much he often told us...He had worked cutting trees through his life to earn extra income. His arms were strong and his hands were well worn. He tended to his garden. He grew a garden so big ...why we would ask him why so big ? Cut your work load down Jack....but he grew a big garden and he shared...he shared his Potatoes and many varieties came my way and I imagine to others as well. .He knew the names I just know some had white flesh, yellow flesh, or purple . Some over wintered better than others and some were better for baking...he shared the potatoes and the knowledge. It would start in early spring with his tomatoes and  in the heat boxes to get them a good start for planting time. The potatoes were planted one at  a time with a spade and a step to pack them in. Tom tried to talk him in to cultivating the land where the potatoes would go and then to just step them in as he had done with his parents and how we do it now....Nope spade and pack...He would ask me how to plant this or how did I plant that and in the beginning I would provide little tips from my little garden and he would share some with me. I loved to see him out in his garden ...It was another job ...he did well.
Jack was by today's standards a hoarder...I prefer to say collector . He could not part with anything that meant anything and most things that were part of Jack's life meant something ......to him.  He had sheds filled with items that no one had an idea were there...But if someone mentioned they needed something that he knew he had ...well he had it out and showing it to you in minutes. Offering it to you ...although if you used it and were done with it he made sure you knew to bring it back. AND he kept track trust me!! He had every chainsaw he had ever owned , every snow machine , every  thing that made up his collection...to me that was alright that was who Jack was and that is what Jack wanted....that is what made him happy. His things, his animals, his farm that is what made him happy.

Beaver

Then there was "Jackie Bushman " we called him... .  He grew up in the bush and it was second nature for him to be able to walk through the bush and walk back out no problem. My Son Rion was fortunate enough ot have spent many hours with Jack in the forest. They would explore and discover many great finds together . Rion credits Jack for his love of the forest and his ability to make his way around without getting lost.. .Jack hunted with a gun when we met him. My hubby gave him a bow and some arrows . It had been Tom's first bow and now it was Jacks he took to it and never looked back . He shot his animals with bow and arrow from then on. His picture was in the awards book proudly several years. Tom would tease him as he was now a trophy hunter he didn't hunt for meat anymore. He has won several awards and well deserved for harvesting a trophy with his bow.
I remembered how he treated each and every hunter that had to come to him to ask permission to cross his pasture land to get into the forest to hunt. He was friendly and usually would see them again at the kitchen table for a coffee. 
There were so many things I thought of as I walked putting one foot in front of the other following the path until I reached the middle of the labyrinth...I stopped looked west and my mind slowed down....my sobs turned into tears flowing gently down my cheeks....The sky was blue with a few clouds scattered about in a feathery fashion...
I thanked God for having let me meet Jack and for providing my family with the opportunity to live along and grow with him . I was thankful he had been my husbands best friend and the best type of friend he could have had. I was thankful for my son and my daughter being able to experience a man with such a kind a caring nature as part of their childhood and right into their adult lives. My daughter in law and Grandson and all of the friends we took there with us. He gave something of himself to each of us and all of them ....
As I headed out of the centre I focused on the question at hand,"What did I learn from this death ..."The answers came quickly and were numerous.
Jack was my teacher.....I care for my animals in the ways he did his. I love them and I respect them and they are very important in my life....

He taught me that work was important  he  worked all the time ...I don't think  he enjoyed to work all the time ......regardless he did what he needed to do and complained little As he would say " What do you do?" I realized I need to work on this one.
He taught me how to treat people with respect and love and that in turn it would come back to you. I have been doing my best with this one.
He taught me that friendship is not based on expectations. I say yes that is so!
He taught me that  family comes first . AMEN!

 My Parents

He taught me that it was good to share the things we harvest. That's reflected in my huge garden.
He taught me to be gentle in my actions .  Need to work on this one.
He taught me to eat well . Thanks Jack we were junk food junkies before you!
He taught me to listen and he taught me it was okay to share with some one we trusted. :)
Most of all thought he taught me in dying that he abided by one of the most important lessons in life....
Live today like there will be no tomorrow ........Life is a privilege and can be taken away at anytime..

You left to soon my friend     ...Thank you Jack .... May you Rest in Peace
Love forever Sheila