I am not sure if something tragic happens every April or if I am overly sensitive and susceptible to feeling self-pity and incredible empathy when I hear of a tragedy that occurs in April. I just realized that the sadness and grief I am feeling for the people impacted by the shooting in Fort Hood is beginning to overwhelm me. It is time to turn off the TV and put down the IPAD or at least turn off the news feed pop-ups. Tomorrow, April 4th is the anniversary of my brother's death. He died in 2001 and it still feels like yesterday.
There are a few of us on this planet who have had the experience of talking to a healthy, able bodied person with their entire future ahead of them one minute and within moments the person is gone. Losing a loved one is always hard, but it is so hard when you didn't expect it or if you didn't have a chance to say "I love you and good-bye."
On days like today, I spend a few moments feeling bad and then a few moments reminding myself that life is too unpredictable to be unhappy. It is so important to tell folks how you are feeling when you are feeling it and to take every opportunity to enjoy the breathe of life. I am prayerful that my children live a long, prosperous, and happy life with as little tragedy as possible and more joy than I can ever imagine.
I decided to post this blog to let the folks who are grieving know that the pain eventually fads away, but you will never forget. So find joy, live life, show love. Do it every day, all day or at least when you can. Trust me I know how hard it is. I plan on spending the day or at least part of tomorrow in bed with the covers over my head, so I can hide the tears.
Its very sad, thats why we can never lose touch, you never know about tomorrow! I was talking to my best friend in Florida years ago. Our phones cut out every time we talked pretty much, which was several times a week. On that last call, we were joking about a jet-ski and our phones cut off. I didnt think anything about it, then the next day I got a call from family and they told me he had crashed and passed away. When someone walks away, it might be the last time you see them.
ReplyDeleteSomeone once asked Brother Lawrence, the French monk, if he wondered why there was evil in the world. Brother Lawrence replied that he was not surprised by the evil in the world, he was only surprised that there was not more, considering the malice that people were capable of.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like most of the calls I get these days from old friends are to tell me someone else I care about is no longer with us. It happened again yesterday. Last month it was my beloved colleague Maxine Thurston-Fischer, who you may remember from your Miami days. Lives lived well and graciously, but cut short by illness. It's important to stay in touch with those you love regularly. You never know when it will end.
ReplyDeleteDear Sister Carladenise
ReplyDeleteI hear your pain. But April 4 is a special day for me. It is the birthday of the woman who have birth to me. Without her, I would not exist.
We don't know why or how it is that some people leave this earth far too soon and others, who seem to contribute nothing, or squander their lives away seem to live on and on. These questions are bigger than humanity.