Life is short, treasure it

Thursday night I had taken the boys to 4-H and spent the evening visiting with my friend and watching the kids have fun. I came home to my husband and kids, she went home to find out that her husband had passed away unexpectedly from a massive heart attack. She is just older than me, 34, and her husband only a few years older than that. They have 3 young children.

I was up all night that night thinking of how easily our places could be switched. She had no warning, he wasn't sick or ill or anything. People aren't supposed to die young. (I'm sure it's hard later in life too, but this just seems unfair.) I kept thinking how much I take my husband for granted. I cannot even imagine her pain and sorrow right now. She is an incredibly strong person and I know she will deal with everything, simply because she has no choice. Although I am sure it would be tempting to just find a cave and hide. I talked to her yesterday morning and again this afternoon and my heart just breaks for her and her kids. What do you say, how do you bring comfort to someone in this situation? Flowers, food. . . . it all seems so. . . . . simple.

So, if you are reading this, get up now and give your loved ones an extra hug and tell them you love them. And next time they do something that annoys you, think of Dave and the big picture, and let it go. Life is so fragile and death is so final. (I mean final in that you can't undo words you've said in anger, you can't say "I love you, " you can't tell the person what they mean to you, you can't go back and spend more time with them.) I know that death is not the end and that we can be with our loved ones for eternity, but we can't undo or "fix" it here on earth. It has made me think about how easily I take for granted that I can go somewhere for the evening and come home to everything the way it was when I left.