A day of joy, love, and sorrow.

 

November 21, 2012

Today, I was reminded--more than once--how fragile life really is. I was also reminded that time spent with friends and family is always, always special. Be intentional about making time for loved ones and cherish every second that you get with them.

For everyone facing the holiday season with the recent loss of loved ones heavy on your heart- seek out joy despite your sorrow and know that you are not alone in your heartache. I know around our house that we will be grasping (no doubt through an enormous amount of tears) for every ounce of joy that we can find. Gratitude will also be in abundance as we have so much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to all. May you be blessed with joy and love. . .

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A note: This may seem familiar to some as it was my FB status for Thanksgiving 2012. The day before Thanksgiving was a truly incredible one-- a day filled with joy, love, and sorrow.

I began my day over coffee with a dear friend. We laughed and cried, and then laughed and cried some more. Spending time with dear friends is always a blessing. 

Mid-day--an amazing 60 degree day in November--I got to hike, skip stones in the Minnesota river, and soak up nature at its finest with my son, his fiance, and my dogs. Spending time in nature--with my kids and my dogs? Always a blessing.

The end of the day brought me to the scene of a fatal car accident. Although I have been a retired EMT for a few years, it all came rushing back to me. . .  and I knew there wasn't anything that could be done to save a life that evening on the highway. I prayed while waiting for the rescue squad as I knew all too well the sorrow that this man's family would soon be enduring. And then I prayed some more. . .

One of the many things I have learned over the past three months is that life, at times, is completely RANDOM. We never, ever know exactly what is in store for us. We can only take it as it comes--the joy with the heartache--and hope that at the end of the day we  have done our best to make the world a better place. We can only hope that we have done our best to spread love and joy to everyone we meet.