A promise made

I promised myself I would publish at least one post in January.  I’ve had lots of ideas and several posts started, only to be shelved into a digital cabinet before it was done.  Something just didn’t feel right.  I started thinking that perhaps I had no more ideas or thoughts left to share and that’s why I couldn’t finish anything.  Poor me.

Then Sunday happened, and like you, we’ve been reeling with disbelief.  The sad news of Kobe Bryant’s death, along with his young daughter, and the others on the helicopter was too much to take in.  Even though terrible and tragic things happen all the time, when it happens to a larger-than-life individual, it brings every tragedy into greater focus and closer to our hearts.  Our grief is multiplied. 

So, our hearts break unrelentingly for all the families, and especially the kids left without a parent, and the young spouse left without a partner.  Our minds keep swirling with the constant precariousness of life.

And we are reminded once again of how precious every, single day is.

When something this horrific happens, it’s hard to think about future plans and dreams, or whether or not we’re having a good day.  It feels too frivolous to complain about insignificant issues or misconstrued slights, or to look beyond today or this very moment.  

Maybe that’s the tiny gem that rises to the surface of such devastating loss.  You realize or remember quickly what truly matters is life itself.  Especially the lives of your loved ones.

Getting older is a gift in so many ways.  First, because there are too many people that never get the chance to grow old – like the victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash.  And then because we see our mortality more clearly with every passing year.  Which, if we’re lucky, gives us pause to take in every glorious, irritating, joy-filled, frustrating and delicious minute of every day of life that’s granted us.

“Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.”

Emily Dickinson

So a promise made is kept, but a more important promise of gratitude for every day takes priority.

Till next time,

Judy