Just a few weeks ago, a dear family friend passed away. When I met him, I felt like I was meeting a celebrity. He played an important role in the art world, and he knew a lot of very well-known artists that I admired greatly. When I met this very kind gentleman, he asked to see my artwork when he found out that I loved to paint, so I showed him some photos on my phone. Because I felt my art was not very good, I was very nervous to show him, but he said he liked it very much. In fact, he followed me on Facebook and liked many of my art posts. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations, and because I valued his input, I worked hard to improve my painting skills.
This week, a friend of mine passed away unexpectedly. He had a heart of gold and meant a lot to me. He was a friend to me when I was a shy and insecure 14-year-old. He was a senior and I was a freshman in high school. At that time, I worked at Burger King, and he would often come in to eat. It was nice to see him, and I enjoyed our talks. We shared the same last name, his had an extra letter but it sounded the same as mine. He was a star football player, called me little sis, and just made me feel special. These past few days, I have been reminiscing, and remembering days gone by. It has been 36 years since we first became friends, and it is surprising how fast time has gone by.
Last month, the Queen of England passed away, and this week, a Queen of country music passed away. Each Queen touched the hearts of people for decades, their passing was felt around the world. Losing a friend or a loved one is never easy. It doesn't matter if they were young and it seemed that they were taken too soon, or if they were older, and even though we know that no one lives forever, the loss hurts.
I have greatly admired each one of these people, each one touching me in a different way. Life is short, no one knows when their time is up. The loss of so many has made me look deep into my heart and I have realized that I must cherish each day that I have been given. I must enjoy the time that I DO have with my husband, my children, my family and my friends. Leave the past behind and live today. Don't carry the baggage of regret, hurt, anger, resentment, or negative experiences, that will wear you down and steal your joy. I want to be the person that affects people in a positive way, the person that shows love, compassion, and forgiveness. I have vowed to work to be a better person.
Thank you for reading my very personal reflection on love and loss. I usually try to write a blog that is informative, inspirational, a fun memory of my past, or something that happened while trying to run my homestead. This week, I was struggling, and this is what was on my heart. Please take a moment to let someone know that you are thinking of them, that they are important, and that they are loved. Take care.