We’ve all heard it–life is short. Last week, my family and I came face to face with just how short it really is.
A little over a year ago my mom was diagnosed with a host of heart conditions–it runs in her family–and we have all been nervous hawks watching her every move; making sure she eats right, gets rest, takes her meds, and making sure every single doctor appointment stays as stress-free as possible.
Whew, we’re exhausted.
But the day before Valentine’s Day, tragedy hit our family. It wasn’t mom though–her husband died unexpectedly. Right there, sitting in his favorite chair, in front of the TV, still wearing his Super Bowl jersey, my stepdad took his last breath.
It still doesn’t seem real.
Mom is still in shock, and thinking, “wait, I was supposed to go first.” But, that’s the thing about life. None of us know how much time we are given or how much time we will have with the ones we love.
So make every moment count. Take advantage of every opportunity to make memories, to tell the ones you love how much they mean to you. Laugh, be silly, do and say all the things, so that when that day comes, you have no regrets. Hug the ones you love as tight as you can for as long as you can. Because we never know which smile, which laugh, which hug will be the last one you get to share.
