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Tragedy is an interesting thing . . .
I had just finished making an enormous list of everything I needed to get done in the next week or so before school started. I looked at the list and cried because I felt so overwhelmed and wondered how in the world I was going to get it all done. To calm myself down, I sat at the computer and started through my favorite blogs. On Gabrielle's, I read for the first time about Nie Nie and her husband and their family.
My list suddenly felt insignificant, and I sat in my computer chair trying to get a hold of myself and grieved with Nie's sister.
I stuck that list on my bulletin board and then snuggled on the couch with my little girls and we read and talked about the changes that were coming up. Later I spent extra time with my 11 year old, getting him ready to go swimming at the neighbor's. I felt like crying as I put sunscreen on his beautiful skin. I picked up my goodlookin' football player from practice, so thankful for his growing strong, healthy body. I laughed with my, soon to be senior as we decided just how blond she should be on the first day of school. And I ironed my husband shirts happily thinking about times when there were no shirts to iron and feeling enormously joyful when I saw his smile come through the door that evening.
The list is still there and I am working on it, but it's importance has shrunk and the weight I feel when I see it is minimal.
My heart is still heavy as I think of this beautiful family whose lives will never be the same. I send them my prayers daily. I hope as I think of them, those thoughts will prompt me to be a little kinder, show a little more tenderness and simply spend more time enjoying those I love.
Tragedy is an interesting thing . . .
I had just finished making an enormous list of everything I needed to get done in the next week or so before school started. I looked at the list and cried because I felt so overwhelmed and wondered how in the world I was going to get it all done. To calm myself down, I sat at the computer and started through my favorite blogs. On Gabrielle's, I read for the first time about Nie Nie and her husband and their family.
My list suddenly felt insignificant, and I sat in my computer chair trying to get a hold of myself and grieved with Nie's sister.
I stuck that list on my bulletin board and then snuggled on the couch with my little girls and we read and talked about the changes that were coming up. Later I spent extra time with my 11 year old, getting him ready to go swimming at the neighbor's. I felt like crying as I put sunscreen on his beautiful skin. I picked up my goodlookin' football player from practice, so thankful for his growing strong, healthy body. I laughed with my, soon to be senior as we decided just how blond she should be on the first day of school. And I ironed my husband shirts happily thinking about times when there were no shirts to iron and feeling enormously joyful when I saw his smile come through the door that evening.
The list is still there and I am working on it, but it's importance has shrunk and the weight I feel when I see it is minimal.
My heart is still heavy as I think of this beautiful family whose lives will never be the same. I send them my prayers daily. I hope as I think of them, those thoughts will prompt me to be a little kinder, show a little more tenderness and simply spend more time enjoying those I love.
5 comments:
great post, rach.
thanks for making me stop for a moment to refelct tonight. :)
Beautiful...
Thanks for the reminder how important it is to focus on what really matters...our relationships with our spouse, children, family, friends. Things and stuff will always be there when we get to it...moments only happen once.
...crying now...great post.
I'm saving this post forever, Rachel.
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