Mom and Moments

Almost exactly two years ago I received a phone call at 3:22am and my life was changed forever. It was a paramedic calling from my parents home telling me that I needed to come home because my mom had passed away. I sat on the edge of my bed and I felt empty, a sense of nothingness. I immediately reached out to a friend, she had recently lost her father, I honestly do not remember any of our conversation just her voice and a feeling of understanding. Most of the hour plus drive to my parents home is a blur, only by the grace of God did I made it home. When I arrived the house was filled with aunts/uncles/cousins but my mom was gone. I wanted so badly to hug and kiss her one more time but it was not to be. The next few days were filled with phone conversations, funeral arrangements, insurance companies and all the time keeping my emotions in check because I wanted to be strong for my family. My mom was such an amazing woman and I tried with all that I am to fill her shoes…try as I did, it was and remains an impossible task to achieve. I have learned so many things about myself and life in general during the past two years. Life is so precious and can be gone in the blink of an eye, all the what if’s and someday’s never to be realized. I still mourn the loss of my mom, I love her and miss her but I know she is cheering me on to chase the dreams I have tucked away but honestly I have no regrets. I have learned so many valuable lessons over the past couple of years and I still have dreams but more important than dreams and wishes for the future…I want to be present in the moments I am living now. God does not promise tomorrow’s, His desire is that we take and relish in every single second of each and every day, never forgetting we are His children and we were created for His glory. Do not let any opportunities pass you by because of fear. Give yourself permission to experience the moments of your days, feel the heat from the sun and look at how it changes our perspective of our world and surroundings, most especially when things are seen in the light of day versus how very different they are in the darkness of night. As I am sitting here typing this I have no idea how the rest of my day will go… I can compare it to previous Sundays, hoping for lots of things like weather, safety, good health and the list goes on and on. I don’t think God wants us to not plan for things but I think He wants only good things for all His children but I am convinced He also wants us to be joyful and to celebrate the moments like sharing a smile with a stranger, holding a door for someone, saying hello and meaning it when passing a stranger, give a cashier the quarter for the customer just a bit short on money, say thank you as well as responding with a you’re welcome…all these things take very little effort but can be making a lifelong impression on someone who is in desperate need of kindness and who can then pass that same kindness onto someone else. Life is really a string of “moments” connecting to one another until one day we look back on our lives and say “thank you, God!” And God replies, “Well done my good and faithful servant!”

~Blessings and Peace~