Acceptance

This is the stage that allows you to keep on going every day. This is what keeps you functioning as a human. Acceptance is what allows me to once again enjoy life. It allows me to plan for the future.

No human being could survive if they did not eventually reach acceptance. On the TV show "Monk", the character of Adrienne Monk is portrayed as a man who could never truly accept the death of his wife and it has turned him into a shell of a human being. Though the show is a comedy, I definitely can relate to some of the more poignant moments when we see how Adrienne simply cannot come to terms with the loss. He can never move on or continue to develop as a human being because he is never able to achieve acceptance.

Acceptance has allowed me to come to terms with what happened. Acceptance has allowed me to follow the Forest Gump school of thought; shit happens.

There is no point to denying the truth, no one to blame, no one to bargain with, no point to being depressed. There is just the truth and the facts as they exist.

Acceptance allows me to think of my sons long term needs. He has a very good chance now at a long life span. I will need to plan to be there for him for as long as possible. My wife and I need to watch out for our own health. I cant afford to drop dead at fifty. I have to live a long and healthy life so that I can take care of him. I also have to plan for his care after I am long dead and gone. I hope that Dylan's siblings, Ethan and Ava and maybe more in the future will be up to the job after we are no longer here.

Accepting of what has happened has made me a less judgemental person and a more patient person. It has also made me a little less understanding of other problems. No matter whether they are financial or personal, they can be overcome, and I should not allow them to get to me.

I have possibly lost some empathy for others when I hear them complain about nonsensical daily problems like missing the bus or having too wait too long for something. The way I look at things now that in the grand scheme of things those are just not problems that one should worry about or complain about anymore.

The only problem with acceptance is that it is not a permanent state. When I least expect it, denial, bargaining, anger, and sadness will rudely interrupt my state of acceptance. Fortunately, their stays are usually brief ones. I am happy to see them go when they leave me.

My son is my son. I love him with all of my heart. I will be there to care for him and will do all I can to protect him from any and all harm. I will do my utter best to keep him happy and content. I am his father. That is my job.