Be truly thankful

A while ago, my husband of 67 years passed away.

The pain, the loss and the sorrow of behaving differently while he was with me will probably be with me forever.

I wish I had been more tolerant and understanding when I asked him to come to the table for a meal. He wanted to finish a computer game. I wish. During our discussions, he tried to explain why a person behaves a certain way. I wish I had listened more.

Now I visit him at Holy Cross Cemetery and sit on the bench he commissioned many years ago. Like the hero Ove from the book, “A Man Called Ove”, I tell him how Jessie, our granddaughter, a school psychologist who interned with her grandfather, is doing in our public schools.

Dear friends! Enjoy every minute your partner is with you. There is no need to argue. It’s a total waste.

Occasionally, I am getting a phone call from a veteran wanting to make an appointment with Dr. Slobodow. I say he passed away. Silence. “No, it’s impossible, I need him!”

I need him too.

May this Thanksgiving be a truly blessed one for you and your loved ones!

Halina Slobodow

Spokane