I just ordered funeral flowers- again. I have spent more time trolling flower sites and waiting in calling hour lines, and spent more money on funerals in the last 6 months than I have in the last 6 years.
Losing people we know is jarring. It jolts you awake, makes you feel out your own vulnerable spots, your unprotected areas- but really, there is nothing we can do to stop what's coming. Coming to this realization is like getting cold water in the face. What do you mean its coming? I have a family, a life, a job, I have shit to do.
Fate is....well, it is what it is. It doesn't care if you have shit to do. It doesn't care that you have laundry to pick up at the dry cleaners, or a floor to mop, or a presentation due at work on Friday. It doesn't take into consideration that you have loving family, kids who need bedtime stories, or dogs that need Frisbees thrown.
It swoops in, does its dark dance, and you're gone.
Just. Like. That.
So here's the thing about that. You're here now. Make it count- make it MATTER. Don't take your time, your talent, your abilities, your intelligence for granted. Make a mark- send a message - leave a legacy. Be the best person you can be while you're here.
Tell people that you love them, that they matter. Let them know how they've impacted your life or changed your world.
Don't be caught up in the rush, take a breath and step back. Look at your life and the people you have surrounded yourself with. Do they know how you feel about them? Does your child know how proud you are? Does your parent know you love them? Does your spouse know you appreciate them?
We can put a hundred safeguards in place- a safety net to catch our family 'in case'. A savings account, a life insurance plan, a will. These will help ease the financial burden if you're gone- but do they know YOU LOVE THEM? Will they look back at memories and only smile?
I've lost many, many people I've loved dearly. Of course there are moments I look back on and think "I wish I had"...but overall I know they loved me, and I know they felt loved by me.
Don't let another moment pass by without telling them- do it today. We just don't know what will happen tomorrow. Show your love. : )
