Like Strangers
Like Strangers, that's what we are
Darling how can lovers pull apart so far
Like Strangers, how can it be
Only days ago, we loved so tenderly

I love you, truly I do

And I hope deep in your heart you love me too

Let's forget that we've been angry

Let's be lovers like before

And swear not to be like strangers anymore

I still choke up when I hear the Everly Brothers version of this song. My greatest desire for the outcome after the inevitability of a future that included HD became apparent was that the disease would be accepted, faced, and God's providence for dealing with it be accepted. I so longed to be the one:

I bless the day I found you

I want to stay around you

And so I beg you, let it be me

Don’t take this heaven from one

If you must cling to someone

Now and forever, let it be me

Each time we meet love

I find complete love

Without your sweet love

what would life be

So never leave me lonely

Tell me you love me only

And that you’ll always let it be me.

While there were many moments of rejection during the last 10 years of our life together, Karen always knew that she could count on me to respond when she became truly desperate. There were miraculous moments of joy. On one occasion, I had prayed for just 2 more weeks of my "normal Karen" - a year after she had left to live on Catalina Island. She requested a vacation in Malibu, and we had those two weeks together. God is good - all the time! Then delusions made me the devil incarnate, and I despaired of ever feeling her embrace again. Karen ended up in a convalesent hospital after 18 months of in-home care. I took my daughter and grandson to visit, and she and my son's family all visited as I hung back in the hall, longing to hold her and assure her that we were always there for her; but unwilling to upset her with my presence. When they all came out to leave, I requested them to ask if she wanted to see me; and the demonic delusions were gone. We embraced; we cried; and she seemed to understand that she was where she needed to be. Our visits for the remaining year of her life were all good. We prayed together; we sang hymns together; and we talked of a dream future that she would never know here on earth. I truly believe that only Satan could devise such a a cruel disease; and only God could show such grace in dealing with it. I can only encourage others to realize that in the face of cruel, unbearable sadness there is always hope for joy that is unexpected.