Life is busy. We crowd our day with appointments, meetings, and errands on top of our work schedules. We are masters of leading hectic lives. When asked what we are involved in, many of us can rattle off various committees and groups and teams. We run from here to there, and back again, hardly ever slowing down.
We go about our daily lives occasionally thinking of others. Maybe offering up a quick prayer for someone when we think of it, or stopping to ask them how they are doing when we have a few seconds. I’ll be the first to confess I’m guilty of this.
It’s counter-culture to make time for others.
Yet, when unanticipated things happen- tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, deaths, car accidents, fires- time stands still. Appointments, meetings and errands suddenly become irrelevant. Our work, that is often of utmost importance to us, is trivial. People suddenly become the most important thing.
Tragedy brings people together.
This thought has been swirling in my mind for the past few months.
Fast forward to Christmas Eve when the unexpected happened in our lives; Grandpa Shorty passed away early afternoon. Time stopped when we heard the news.
Our lives have been on hold since Grandpa died. All of our appointments, meetings, errands and jobs are irrelevant. Family is the most important now.
We’ve been making funeral decisions. We’ve been looking through pictures. We’ve been doing laundry, dishes, and grocery shopping.
We haven’t been alone through these times though. We’ve been surrounded by family and friends. The hospital was flooded with visitors there to support our family. The house has been noisy with company. The door closes behind one family and ten minutes later another arrives. We have to be sure to have someone around at all times to answer the phone when condolences are offered. Graciously, food has been passed from hand to hand and meals have been shared with whomever is around. We can't begin to express our thanks to all whom have stopped by, brought food and called. We feel loved. This tragedy has brought so many people together.
It’s sad that it takes a death for this to happen. The last time our extended family spent this much time with one another was at my great-grandparents funerals’.
As our family grieves the loss of Grandpa Shorty, I’m awakened to the reality that life matters. Life is a gift. We can learn from Grandpa's death. We can do life differently.
Let’s value the lives of others over busyness. Let’s make time for friends and family, not just during funerals, but at other times throughout the year.
“Love is cheering and sharing and compassion and giving and receiving. Love is an action thing more than a word thing, that brings comfort or joy or relief to anyone or anything.” ~Ziggy Marley
