Early Morning Thoughs

It’s five o’clock in the morning. The first hint of the golden slivers of a new day begin to stretch across the sky as the world slowly wakes. Hello Monday. It’s been a long, sleepless night for me. How ’bout you?

This has been an emothional weekend. I’ve mentioned it before, so most of you already know we held a Celebration of Life for my sister, Ann on Saturday. It was an amazing gathering of friends and family. As expected with this crew, there were plenty of cousins who came to share stories of our childhood. We are a close extended family. Growing up I never felt that I had just two sisters and a brother. I felt as though I grew up in a family of ten children or more. We were together on Sundays for Mass and family suppers. We were togehter for holidays and summers and all those moments big and small in between. If you have a close extended family, count yourself as blessed.

And then there were the childhood friends. Just as families were close, so was our community. Many of us have stayed in touch throughout the years, especially with the internet. We’ve created friendship groups that shared the same childhood neighborhoods. Through the wonder of social media, we’ve reconnected with friends we once attended first grade with. People who have shared our hopes and dreams and guarded secrets for more than sixty year. Again, if you have lifelong people in your life, count yourself as blessed.

All those memories brought up the unspoken images of those no longer here. Brother Dear and Boo Bear, my sweet daughter, now gone. My mother, who was like a second mom to so many who gathered with us on Saturday. Gary, Brother Dear’s best friend. And little Jimmy, who died far too young. They too were gathered around us. You could feel their presence in the air. How I wished I could reach out and touch their faces one more time.

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Have I mentioned that I am triple-blessed? What I needed most for Mother’s Day wasn’t flowers or a fancy brunch. I needed to walk quietly by the water’s edge, alone with my thoughts yet not truly alone for Hubby and Kiddo are always near. Just as God is always with me.

Count your blessings and remember to hold them close. Our time here is not forever. Forever is the reward that comes next. How great is that reward is up to you and what you do with the time God has given to you now.