Showing posts with label grief. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grief. Show all posts

Friday, May 13, 2011

Go Forth and Be Breathless


My father’s name was Richard.  He was a good man who loved his family and his country.  And cars.  He LOVED cars.  He always had something he was working on in the garage. 

Today he would have been 63 years old.  Happy Birthday, Daddy.

When he was 39 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and was told he had a year to live.  Radiation, surgery, chemo, and 9 years later the Good Lord took him home.  He fought long enough to see both of his children graduate from high school, to see his daughter graduate from college, to walk his daughter down the aisle, and to know his first grandchild was on the way.  Still, 48 is way too young for a father to leave his family.  

He was a quiet fighter, and he was the strongest man I have ever known.  Until I breathe my last, he will always be my hero.  While I still mourn his loss, today I celebrate my father’s life.   

So why do I post this in a blog about cutting the crap?  Because life is short, People.  Cut out all the bitterness you have.  Cut the crap you tell yourself for why you don’t spend more time with your loved ones.  Pick up the phone.  Make a trip.  Cut the excuses.  Make every moment count.  

 “Life is not measured by how many breaths you take, but by what takes your breath away.”  With that, I urge you to go forth and be breathless. 

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Sad News

So we got some sad news this past weekend.  My mother-in-law passed away.  She was an old school hippie with some very strong opinions on things.  She and my hubby didn't exactly get along, but she was his mother after all.  For her memorial next week we'll be keeping it as simple and light-hearted as possible.  I understand she would have wanted it that way. 

The loss of a loved one always makes you ponder what you're doing with your own life.  It's no different with me.  I keep thinking to myself, "How do I want to be remembered?"  Mostly, I think of my children and what they'll think of me when I'm gone.  Will they have fond memories?  Because I want the answer to that question to be a resounding YES, I think I need to do some adjusting.  I work a little too much at times.  I definitely bring it home with me... and all that entails.  I think some serious re-adjusting needs to happen.  I WILL make that happen.  I need to play with them more.  Be more patient.  Be quick to forgive and forget.  And really, it shouldn't matter if their rooms are messy, should it?

With that, I challenge all of you to live your life in such a way that the people you leave behind will really miss you... will remember many wonderful things about you... and will tell stories to their children about the crazy-wonderful-happy things you did.  When it comes to that, there's no crap to cut.