You Just Don't Know

I received news that a close friend lost her Dad yesterday morning. She has to navigate airports, impatient passengers and joyful travelers while she walks through this grief cloud to get to her Mother. My heart hurts for her. I think about all her Mom has to go through as I know that story well. I think about what my friend has to face, as I recently learned that lesson as well. And I think about how much she will worry about her Mom.........so many emotions. So much to do.

But the real reminder to me is that, while I am moving forward with my late husband on my mind constantly, every day somebody is just getting started. While my world is continuing, kids need to be places, bills need to be paid, maybe I am having a great day with friends or I am in a terrible hurry for something important to me....somebody, probably in my same space, their world has stopped. I remember that day, my first day "out" in the real world. I was in Safeway walking through my grief cloud getting some essentials. Everybody seemed to be moving so fast. Some were happy. Some were not. Some were in a hurry. Some were not. Their lives seemed so insignificant to me in that moment. I probably seemed extremely unfriendly to them....if I was even noticed. It was exhausting. I wanted out of there but needed to get through this milestone.

My point, I don't really know. A bit of a ramble I guess. The people in Safeway, their lives were not insignificant. If we only assume that tragedy is worth worrying about, we aren't living. I mean, we shouldn't get consumed with small stuff but if somebody is in a hurry to get to their kid's track meet, one of hundreds they have seen, it's a big deal. These life moments are a big deal. On the flip side, people are facing tragic situations all around you. You might be walking through their grief cloud. Think of that.

You just don't know what is going with people outside of their Safeway run. You don't know why those other passengers are on this flight.  I am guilty of forgetting that and don't want to. I continue to learn through all of this and try to use these reminders to improve.

Safe travels, my friend.