Speechless: Death Waits for No-One
Have you ever just taken a step back and looked at your life and thought about how precious every moment of your life truly is? If you’re like me, you probably don’t do this very often. Not enough, unfortunately, am I right?
Recently, there has been a death in our family and for respect of our loved ones, I will not disclose any further details. But know this, it has hit the entire family hard and unexpectedly. It has made me think about a few things today in-depth and I hope it isn’t wrong of me to blog on the things I’m thinking regarding this unexpected family death. It is just truly hard to NOT think about these things.
What I have thought about in question are the following things:
1. Why does it seem that death is the sometimes (for possibly the majority of us) the only thing that makes us take more time to appreciate life more? Not just our own life but others’ lives also?
We get so caught up with our daily living regimen, work, general life responsibilities, and stressors that we forget ALL the time about how wonderful our lives truly are. We take much for granted.
2. Why do we not think more about how beautiful it is that we have breath in our lungs, a beating heart, things that we want to accomplish, goals, ambition for our future, and more?
We forget the great feeling of taking a deep fresh breath of air. We forget how truly good it feels to have life in our lungs and bodies.
3. Why does death seem to be the only thing sometimes that brings families back together?
This is the part that I feel is hardest to mention because we always think, “I will call my friend tomorrow.” “I can talk to my cousin next week.” “My mom and dad can wait for me to call them back tomorrow.” But in reality, this is not how we need to be because life can be gone in the blink of an eye. It might be a catchy phrase or saying but it is VERY true.
4. Why do we not reach out to our living family (true blood relate or not blood-related family) more often before it is too late?
Again, as mentioned already, we tend to say that we will get back to our friends and family tomorrow or next week as if we have plenty of time when in reality, death waits for none of us. When it calls, it calls.
I have probably a ton of other questions to go along with these, but these questions stuck out the most. I encourage you, whoever you are reading my blog, I not only encourage you, I urge you to reach out to your family more. To be more appreciative of the lives of the ones you love and care about more. Answer your dad or mom’s calls instead of hitting “end” button on your incoming calls with the plan to call back later. The reality is that there might not be later, for any of us. Let’s live today and every day thereafter as if it were our last.
This is dedicated to my family (blood and non-blood-related).
First and foremost, to my husband Michael, thank you for being my best friend, my companion, my lover, the father to our children, and my strength through many obstacles and events in this life we tread through. Baby, I love you. Forever.
To all my other family (close and extended), I need you all to know that I love you and I love you deeply. I appreciate you all. I cherish your lives and your relationship with me. Family is a gift, not an item to be taken for granted because it is sometimes simply given to us. I hope that you all know this deep inside because I mean it from the depths of my heart.
In Remembrance of William Preston Leake
October 05, 2021