Monday, June 21, 2010

Beating Hearts

First, a science lesson!


How does our heart work?  Net Doctor defines it this way, "The heart muscle contracts in two stages to squeeze blood out of the heart. This is known as systole.
  • In the first stage, the upper chambers (atria) contract at the same time, pushing blood down into the lower chambers (ventricles).
  • Blood is pumped from the right atrium down into the right ventricle and from the left atrium down into the left ventricle.
  • In the second stage, the lower chambers contract to push this blood out of the heart to either the body via your main artery (aorta) or to the lungs to pick up oxygen.
The heart then relaxes – known as diastole. Blood fills up the heart again, and the whole process, which takes a fraction of a second, is repeated."  
Pretty incredible if you ask me, but right now, I know some of you just skipped over that whole section and you are reading words that aren't being absorbed.  Your brain is listening to "Charlie Brown's teacher" and it is hearing "wha wha, wha wha, wha wha".  Let's skip on to bigger and better things.  Sorry about the anatomy lesson.
Hearts beat because that is the way God designed them!  They stop when our journey ends, and they can really get crazy when any one of our emotions kick in.
Some people have hearts that skip a beat.  Others have hearts that shoot their blood out with such force, they have high blood pressure.  Medically treatable to both of those conditions!  
There is however, one heart ailment that is not treatable with pills or surgery or stints or pace makers, and that is a broken heart.  Ever had yours broken?  Ever have that all of a sudden total emptiness feeling on that left side of your chest?   Ever miss someone before they were even gone?  
Today, one journey ended for someone very, very special, but a new one began with a new body, perfect health and endless tomorrows.  Her legacy is in the two wonderful sons that she raised, with whom I shared many wonderful times growing up in Ohio.  Her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews and on will miss her, but know that she is now in the loving hands of God and being shown the ropes around Heaven.  


I know hearts are broken, and that the emptiness is there, but knowing that she is now in a much better place than she was, even just 5 short hours ago gives you peace.


It's time to celebrate her life and legacy now.  She would want that of everyone.  Be happy for her new life and her new friends and finding old ones.   One of these days, there's going to be a big pot of the best chicken and egg noodles in Heaven and everyone will be  lined up to try them.  Everyone will get to drink from those really cool metallic glasses with the beads of condensation running down the sides, and there's a wiry little dog running around that is so happy to see her, as is the man that she shared her life with.  There is an emptiness in our hearts, but hers is filled to the brim with love and new life.


So, let's celebrate her beating heart, her wonderful life and the legacy that has left for each of us.


Love to all,
Kaye