Life and Loss (and a Lot of Love)
All of the above. 🤍
My brother lost his best friend two weeks ago.
It was a tragic accident that shouldn’t have happened and his entire community was left asking: Why? Why Lee? He was so good, so kind, so caring. He was one of the good ones. Why him?
Then, my friend and member of our close-knit community lost her husband on Sunday. Again, it was tragic and shouldn’t have happened and cut a full life shockingly short. Our entire community was left asking: Why? Why Danny? He was so good, so kind, so caring. He was one of the good ones. Why him?
The world is a less loving place without these two men in it.
In the midst of this, we were celebrating my kiddos’ last days of school. Themed days and class picnics and field days filled the week and it all came to a teary crescendo on Friday.
Normally, I’m the one crying. Since becoming a mom, time has always been a thief to me. It always goes too quickly, before I’ve processed it or enjoyed it fully. Or something? I still can’t understand it, but if I go down the rabbit hole of those damn iPhone videos set to sappy music, I’m a mess.
Except this year.
Being next to grief, witnessing it from a bit of distance and not being the one left behind to hold it all, shifted something for me.
At least for today.
Today, my husband and I celebrate 11 years of marriage. 11 years ago, we stood facing one another in front of our family and friends and we vowed, ‘Til death do us part.’
Each year, we try to go back to where we spoke those words. We take our 3 kids for a staycation at The Ritz in Chicago, and we bring them to that ballroom with the giant crystal chandelier. Our girls ooh and ahh before all 3 kids start sprinting around the empty room, racing like wild animals let out of a cage.
My husband and I will face each other again, this time with a much better understanding of what is required of us. To make this thing work. To build a family. To love.
I know we don’t have forever. I know there is no way to know how much time we have left together in the life, in this way.
Today, I will be here, with my eyes open and my heart beating.
I will be here to witness all we have created and everything that began with those words we spoke 11 years ago.
Today, I will love.
Love.
So much senseless loss in so little time - it definitely shifts my thinking ........ when dropping M off this week, rather than grieving and crying, having a different perspective now had me thinking, "what a gift it is that she's healthy and happy and thriving and I get to watch her go do this amazing thing!". As for the Ritz ~ so happy I got to share your special day with you!