The Up Sides And Down Sides Of Life

Life isn´t fair.

I love to go around and say that I truly believe everything happens for a reason and while you don´t always know the reason right away it does eventually become clear to you.

But what could possibly be the reasoning behind young people dying? Mothers and fathers passing away long before what seems like a natural time.

A friend of Julia lost his Dad yesterday. A man in his best age died during a bicycle competition here on the island. Everyone is left shocked and in disbelief...his family more so then any. To make matters even worse, it was Julia´s friend´s birthday. As if it isn´t bad enough to lose your dad so unexpectedly and tragically but also on your birthday! What is the reasoning behind that? How can that ever make sense?

My great Uncle recently passed away. He had cancer and had lived a good long life. His death was still tragic and heartbreaking to his family but also expected. I saw a quote somewhere that death was just a new chapter in our lives. Yet, how come some of us get a giant novel and others get a pocketbook sized life?

Since my Mom passed away, every time I hear of a death it brings thoughts of her passing back to me and reminds me again of my own mortality. How truly lucky we are for every moment we get in this life and it is moments my friends...not days, not hours, not weeks, or years...it is moments...because one moment you are here and the next you are gone. I always question if I am living my moments the best way I can? Do I tell those I love how much I love them and do I tell them enough? Do I do enough with my life to feel I haven´t wasted these precious moments? Do I take care of myself and really value this life I have been given?

With teenagers in the house there are moments where we don´t like what they do and they don´t like how we react to what they do. There are moments of great silence because we don´t know what to say, we don´t know how to solve a problem...so we say nothing. However, what happens if your moments end forever before you have had a chance to fix the problems within your family? Before you have had a chance to clear the air, solve the problem, move forward and forgive? I think it is one of the things that bothers me most about being out of sorts with someone, be them family, friend, or stranger. Being able to clear the air or solve the problem before it is too late. Leaving a loved one, friend, or stranger to always wonder how we felt or what we really meant.

I found a poem about moving forward after death which I used to honor my mother on Mother´s Day this year. I posted it on facebook but will post it here for those of you who don´t have me on facebook.

She is Gone

You can shed tears that she is gone

Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone

Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind,

be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what she would want:

smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins

I think that pretty much says it all my friends...I am sorry for the blue post today but digesting life isn´t always a rosy affair. I will be back again soon with hopefully a little sunnier outlook on things.

Until next time my friends...