It's the Little Things

In case you haven't noticed, I try to keep the posts in this blog upbeat, it's not that I don't think about all of the harder points in life but that's not what I want to focus on by writing this blog.  However, it's been a hard week for our community both locally and our personal community of extended friends that feel like family.

There have been a number of beautiful lives that have ended tragically in this short week that I cannot stop thinking about.  The grief their families must be feeling is enormous.  How do you pull yourself together and put the pieces of your life back in place when the life you had before has been completely changed.  My heart is heavy with grief for the families of the four young girls that are no longer with us.  I, like every other person, have a really hard time with understanding why these things happen to the people they do.

These situations also make me want to hold tight to those I love and keep them close.  It brings to the surface a fear anyone that has ever loved someone feels - how do I keep this person safe?  For me its Naomi, how can I assure that nothing horrible ever happens to her?

Keep her in a bubble wrapped world tucked safely away in an ivory tower?  Not likely.  The hard realization is that you can't.  You can't always protect them.  And that, sucks.  You can arm them with knowledge and wrap them with love but there will always be so many factors in life out of your control.

So, armed and wrapped with these events on my mind, these tragedies sitting very heavily on top of my heart, I was very thankful to have a quiet weekend at home with my little family.  That I could just sit and be thankful for the huge blessings that I have in my life everyday.  It's hard to feel like celebrating life when you have the knowledge that people you know and care about are suffering. I had a goal of the weekend to keep updating this blog until I was up to date with photos and stories and I literally couldn't write about the small things in our life with these big things looming in my mind.  So last night I didn't.  I just allowed myself to feel the grief I needed to feel without trying to "power through" and be ever so cheerful.

Today I am feeling more clear headed and realized that part of this beautiful, crazy, frightening journey of life IS embracing the small things, for taking the balance between the exhilarating moments and the ones that break you down and trying to find a way to get through both with grace.  When your heart and mind are filled with dark feelings of hurt and confusion you need the let in the little pieces of light as they come; today those pieces of light came in the form of my family.  My sweet husband, amazing daughter, silly father, sanity-saving sister and fun nephews all brought pieces of light back to me today and reminded me of the great moments in life that help you get through the rough times.


For the families of those who have so tragically passed this week, I am so deeply sorry for the grief and sorrow you are feeling right now.  I cannot pretend to fathom to know what you are going through right now.  Please find comfort in knowing that people are there for you if you reach out, and in time, when your grief has abated, let those little particles of life in.

Peace and love to all tonight.