My thoughts after attending a funeral on Thanksgiving weekend!

I’m in a rush.

In a rush to live fully. Colorfully. Versicolorfully. To me that entails depositing a drop of color wherever darkness lives.

I’m in a rush because I’m sitting here, reflecting…

Family portraits from 2015

(Written 11/24/18)
Picture this: About 3 weeks ago we buried a family member and at that funeral, we all fellowshipped with a man and today, I am just coming from that man’s burial. This man who was alive and well just a few weeks ago is now 6 feet under. Everyone kept wondering how in the world can a life be snatched away so suddenly. But then again, isn’t death almost always sudden? I stood in the cemetery and watched as they poured 3 trucks full of dirt over his casket. A beautiful casket, if there is such a thing. A black box with mirrored panels that will never again see the light of day. Reflecting in that moment is inevitable.

Across from the burial site, we walked towards another section and passed by a tombstone with the picture of a 1 year old. This handsome little boy lived 1 year, 2 months. It seemed so sad and felt so unfair. I wondered what his story was. We took a few more steps, and there laid the remains of one of my first cousins, who passed away 2 days before her 35th birthday, 14 years ago. Again, I reflected. I’m 31, you know? The reality of it all stings. Sigh.

I don’t mean for this post to be sad and morbid (especially as I share these lovely pictures of my family) but every time someone dies, it is a reminder for the rest of us that life really is short and that we need to do better with loving each other, forgiving each other, caring for one another and making every day impactful even during the mundane tasks. So if today was your last day on earth, would you be happy with the way you’re spending it? If not, what changes are you willing to make?

Now that the holidays are coming up and that you may get to see family members that you haven’t seen in a while, let this be a reminder to love on them and hug them tight because you really just never know. Although it may be easier said than done, we must strive to not allow the disagreements and disappointments that occurred in the past to stop us from enjoying the present to the fullest.

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.” -Earl Nightingale

They say that sometimes it takes things falling apart for better things to fall into place so on the bright side of this gloomy day, I am making a conscious decision to go on an adventure. A never ending journey of creating lasting memories by shining this little light of mine and spreading love and light with the world. I hope that this serves as a reminder for you to do the same & hug your family a little tighter everyday.

With love & light,