(Victims’ Memorial at Tops Friendly Markets, Buffalo, NY)
Good Morning 3M,
After returning to my hometown of Buffalo this past week, I had a barrage of thoughts. With that in mind, I will share a couple of times this week. First, I felt an urge to talk about how we should make sure we appreciate and love our family and friends while we still can. I am the youngest in my family, which means that as I age, so do my Mom and my siblings. I am constantly reminded of our mortality just by watching the news, but it hit home when a dear friend lost her mother unexpectedly this past week. Although this individual did all she could to love and honor her mother while she was still alive, nothing could prepare her for the reality of being without her. Can you imagine the pain’s intensity if there were unresolved issues, strife, or inadequate communication?
If you have not noticed, life is very fragile, and our loved ones can be taken from us in the blink of an eye. “For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14). However, inevitably, at every funeral, we hear the same thing “we have to do a better job of getting together; life is so short.” What is also inevitable is that we never take heed to that statement. We too often claim to be so busy or entangled in our issues that we do not have the time to check on people. Our family was not our choice, but it is our blessing. It is hard to find three people you know who would do anything for you in our current society. Our family may not be perfect, but they have unconditional love for us.
We are all guilty. Some of us will not reach out because our family does not reach out to us. Others have grown apart because of distance, unforgiveness, or endless other excuses.
It does not take much effort to text or call someone to let them know you were thinking about them and wanted to ensure they were healthy and happy. The same holds for our lifelong friends. We should never expect someone to assume we love and care about them because of our history. It is always a good reminder to hear the words. On Father’s Day, I text chatted with three men I respect dearly. We promised to do lunch soon. It is now July, and none of us have sent the invitation. Today I am going to reach out. I will take the first step. I will also make it a point to contact my siblings weekly. I need them to know I care and do not want any regrets when they are called home.
The families of the victims of the shootings at Tops Friendly Markets would do anything for another phone call or one more lunch with their loved ones. My friend would love to hear her Mom’s voice.
I challenge you to keep family and friends close. Let someone know you care about them today and regularly afterward. Start now! Life is truly a vapor, and time is something we can never reclaim.
Just what I needed! I will call my siblings today and reach out to my close friends.