Be Grateful!

I spent a great deal of time on the phone last night with a very dear friend whose 6 week old baby passed away.  The most tragic and unspeakable horror a parent could ever face.  Each day she is left wondering why.  How this could happen.  Why would God allow this to happen to her child and her family.  How will they begin to move on yet at the same time, why is everyone moving on without her?  Do they not realize the pain she is going through.  Do they not realize the life that is being missed right now?

A mother that will never know the favorite colour of her child.  Will never hear the sound of her child's laughter.  Will never get to hold her child again and tell her that everything will be alright and all the pain of the world will be taken away.  How can life continue on without her?

Take a moment and think about the people in Japan.  Having everything going for them and in the blink of an eye it is all gone.  They are left with nothing but the clean up and wondering where their loved ones are.  If they are alright.  Wondering if there is another tsunami rising up to unleash havoc upon the once powerful nation. Not knowing how they will rebuild the lives that they once had but knowing that life must continue and they must rebuild.  But how?

In the midst of the tragedies and the wars that have brought unspeakable pain to so many families, take a moment to think of your own family.  Spend every day like it is your last.  You never know what curve balls life is going to throw at you.  Make sure your family knows how much you love them.  I tell those I care about that I love them every day.  Every phone call.  Whenever I can.  If something horrific was to happen to me, I would want everyone close to me to know how much I loved them and to never question my love for them.  Hug those close to you and make sure they know how much you care.  We are so very blessed to live in Canada and we are so very blessed to have family and friends who accept us for who we are and love us with all they can.  When you are standing in line at Starbucks complaining, just remember all those who are far less fortunate than you and who don't have a lot to be grateful for.

To my friends and family, I love you more than anything in this world and would do anything for you.  We are lucky to have one another and all the blessings our lives have.  Don't ever forget that.