A daily gift

In the span of a week, I have learned of four people passing away. In the last two days alone, three. Since January, this brings the total of loved ones that my friends have lost to seven. I have not personally lost anyone dear to me in the last few years, but I share in my friends' grief. Most deaths were from age, others from sickness. None of the reasons make the loss any less painful.

I have never, ever had a time when so many people died around me in such a small amount of time. Of course, being human and questioning, I'm wondering if this is the Universe trying to send a message. And if it is (though my husband would just say, it's a coincidence, get over it), then I'm sure the message is simple. Live your life as though each day was your last. Enjoy the moments and don't get bogged down by the daily stressors that suck your life away. Simple yes, but put in practice? We often forget how precious our life is, and how much this gift of life needs to be treasured and embraced every day. I have to tell you that my heart jumped a couple of beats this afternoon when I got a call from the Principal and her first words were: "I have something to tell you and it's really bad news." For a few seconds, I thought something bad had happened to Jaime (she was the only one at school then, Austin still being home sick) and panic set in. When the Principal told me that one of our teachers had passed away, I felt a mix of intense relief and overwhelming sadness for this teacher who had been with our school her entire teaching career. The Principal called because I'm co-chair of the parent council and she needed to let us know. But in the split second before I knew who she was talking about, the words "I have some terrible news" were a BIG reminder of what I could lose. It's pretty sad that we need these reminders to reframe and remember to make the most of our precious, precious life.

I have had a week where I let the little things get to me and suck my life away. Though I'm very sad and sorry for my friends' loss, I am grateful for the Universe's reminder that the breath, the heart, the body and the brain that sustain me are a privilege that needs to be honoured now and every single day.

Let's all take a great big breath, and count ourselves lucky that we still have the opportunity to live, to laugh, to love and to enjoy all that life has to offer, the good, the bad and the ugly.