Saturday, October 17, 2009

and my fortune said ...

Last night my family went out for Chinese food, when we were done and the fortune cookies came I reached for a cookie at the same time as my husband. I let him grab it and then he gave it to our daughter. I got mine and opened it. However Daph couldn't get hers open so we traded and I read my fortune.

Do not rush through life. Pause and enjoy it.

I have to say that I've never had a fortune that I felt I needed to share, unless it sounded dirty, but this one seemed so appropriate.

A little over two weeks ago my best, basically a sister, friend called me at 12:30 pm with the news that her husband of almost nine years had unexpectedly died. I flew out a few days later and was able to go and spend a week trying to help her and her three boys.

I know she hates it when people say she's strong, so I won't! However I think what people were seeing and amazed at was her ability to see the positive. As much as she was devastated by her loss she could still look at the fact that they had had an amazing summer as a family. The economic situation meant that her husband had been home with them all a lot. They had great memories of gardening and just being a family.

They had spent the evening before just talking, and she always told her husband how excited she was to be his wife, so she didn't feel like there was anything left unsaid.

There were so many things that she found to be thankful for.

She wanted only a positive message at the funeral. That we are saved by Grace and Love endures. Even the music, Simple Gifts followed that feeling. And just to make sure people didn't leave crying she had them play a very Dave piece of music as we left the funeral, Aerosmith's Walk this Way.

So it just felt right to share my fortune with anyone who reads this, and to remind us all to slow down and find the things that we are thankful for.

Take the time to enjoy life, don't wait to get new pictures, let those in your life know how much they mean to you, and don't assume there will be time to do it all later.

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