Waiting in Lines, Reflecting on Life
Today I am grateful for time with our grandson Leo and reading books to him. I am also grateful for this day ahead.
Yesterday, for the second day in a row, I stopped at a local store to pick up sympathy cards. It seems I have been stopping there for sympathy cards a lot in recent months, interspersed with cards for weddings, showers, new babies. A co-worker's sister died of cancer at age 53 and a church member's elderly brother passed away.
Both times I stopped, I was hoping to be in and out quickly, and both times I had to spend a little time waiting in line. It gave me time to pause, to consider the precious and fragile nature of life. To consider how many people I know who have suffered the loss of loved ones, health challenges, and other concerns in the last few months.
Mixed with that is the joy of weddings and new babies and growing families. Such is life.
Waiting in line for those brief moments brought things back into perspective for me. Life brings both joy and suffering. We don't fully appreciate the former without some doses of the latter.
Then, last evening, I saw an obituary on social media. For a woman I had coached early in my coaching days. I also coached her sister and knew their family. They were part of some great teams and some wonderful memories. Another victim of cancer. At 48.
Waiting in line, reflecting on life. Coming across an obituary. Life isn't always fair. But it is always a gift. Each day of it. Each hour. Each moment.
Both times I stopped, I was hoping to be in and out quickly, and both times I had to spend a little time waiting in line. It gave me time to pause, to consider the precious and fragile nature of life. To consider how many people I know who have suffered the loss of loved ones, health challenges, and other concerns in the last few months.
Mixed with that is the joy of weddings and new babies and growing families. Such is life.
Waiting in line for those brief moments brought things back into perspective for me. Life brings both joy and suffering. We don't fully appreciate the former without some doses of the latter.
Then, last evening, I saw an obituary on social media. For a woman I had coached early in my coaching days. I also coached her sister and knew their family. They were part of some great teams and some wonderful memories. Another victim of cancer. At 48.
Waiting in line, reflecting on life. Coming across an obituary. Life isn't always fair. But it is always a gift. Each day of it. Each hour. Each moment.
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