Thursday, December 15, 2016

I Raise My Glass To Uncle Carl


Our hearts are heavy today. Late last night, Lisa's uncle passed away. He had a heart attack. It's moments like this where I don't even know what to say. As a writer, I should, and I can usually find the most eloquent of words, but today...no. It's kind of all a mess in my head.

What I remember most about my wife's Uncle Carl, aside from the famous lobster and clam bakes back in the day, is that in 2012, when Lisa and I got married, he and Aunt Sally were dealing with some challenging times. However, they sent us the most beautiful wedding card ever with the deepest of sentiments. It truly touched my soul.

You can never prepare yourself for the loss of a family member or loved one, however, when it's so sudden and unexpected...it's like a wrecking ball that appears out of nowhere. When Lisa relayed the news, all I could say was, "This is so horrible and so shitty, and I can't even imagine."

It's one of those moments that knocks you off balance. And, you just sit and think and it doesn't matter what you were in the middle of or that your workload is through the ceiling. You. Just. Sit. Reflect.

I think about the occasional times Lisa and I went to bed angry. Or the silent treatment after a spat or two. I think about the emails I never sent or the phone calls I didn't make because my workload consumed me. I think about all of that and than some.

So, with that being said, I raise my glass....to Uncle Carl. His family. His friends. It's impossible to make sense of moments like this, but they certainly slow us down. Stop. Take a deep breath. Teach us a lesson or two. Remind us to be in the moment. Make time. Be kinder. To live. To laugh. To love.

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