Friday, January 12, 2007

tired


Life is not for the faint of heart.

This past week has not been easy.

Attending two funerals in one week, at two ends of the spectrum, certainly makes one pause and ponder life, time, meaning, and whatever is it all about.

The first funeral was for a 2nd cousin, who lived to be 100 years old. A sweet woman who loved and was loved by her family, who died with all her faculties. She was tired and ready to go.

The second funeral was for a 49 year old friend. A husband, father, athlete, business man, who simply had a massive heart attack in his sleep.

Hundreds of people attended the service. Wives whose hearts were aching with the question "what if I were her?". Husbands whose faces had written all over them, "wow, could that be me?".

Hundreds of people simply stunned with the shocking death of one so vital and young.

How to make sense of it.

I am not a big believer in destiny, or the theory there is a reason for everything. There is no reason a wife and children should experience the death of a husband, father too soon.

I, simply believe, that everyone dies, the time and circumstances different for each of us.

The job for those of us left behind, is to honor the dead, as well as ourselves, by continuing to make the best of our lives.

Sometimes that's just plain hard.

Exhausting.

But I will wake up, start again, and make sure I do the best I can to honor those that go before me...

and honor the life I have been given.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry for your losses. How sad for your friend's family.

Leann said...

my heart goes out to you.its hard to lose any one.but its very hard to lose a young person who is a parent.I will keep that family and the other in my prayers.you as well.God bless you.

Jack Steiner said...

sorry to hear about this.

Anonymous said...

Cruisin, I am so sorry to hear about your losses. These times are so difficult.

A couple of years ago, a friend of my parents passed away the same way, it is awful and sad and there can´t be any reason for this. I would wake up a couple of times every night to check that my hubby is still breathing. Until today, if I wake up, I check his breathing. (crazy, I know!)

My thoughts are with you!

kasamba said...

Whoa!
May you only have simchas!

torontopearl said...

CM, sorry about your losses. May you only have simchas.

You choose to live your life in a meaningful way...may it be a long, happy and healthy one.

Doctor Bean said...

My condolences. May God comfort you.

Anonymous said...

Loss is inevitable but so painful- and I don't get it either...
I am sorry that your week was difficult and I wish you only blessings, c-m...

cruisin-mom said...

thank you all for your warm thoughts. I appreciate it.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Once again you have illustrated through your words why so many of us are drawn to your blog. You have a simple way of tapping into emotions that are thought provoking.

It is very scary to think about death at a young age especially when one leaves behind a young family. With so much mourning going on around me at the moment, it's hard not to think about those things.

My condolences.

Val said...

Well written - sorry for your losses. It does make one question your own mortality when things like this happen.

Stacey said...

CM: So very sorry to hear of these deaths. My deepest condolences.

It is especially tragic when deaths occur to those who are not elderly (I am in no way minimizing any death -- they are ALL hard).

I am much like you. I don't believe there's a reason for everything. I believe that it is all pretty random.