LIFE IS FRAGILE

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life,

we forget how fragile life is.

In a moment, a twinkling of an eye,

everything can change.

It was Labor Day and in my ever-present fog I had forgotten about a barbecue for a dear member of the family who is moving back to Ohio. I was so tired and I had slept most of the day. Once I had gotten up and looked at my phone I realized that I had totally forgotten it. My daughter had sent me a text message earlier in the day about it and I sent one back that I was just to tired to go.

I called her and then my world suddenly dropped out from beneath me. Her fiance, my dear almost son-in-law, was in the emergency room. It wasn't clear what was wrong but from all indications it looked like he had some kind of stroke or seizure. His speech was slurred and he didn't know where he was and it took quite a few people to get him into the car and to the hospital which, thank goodness, was only a few minutes away. 

I flew out the door to the hospital. I was in pain before the call and after the call my whole body was crying out in pain. 

I ignored it. 

I had to. 

Hearing my daughters terrified voice propelled me into action. I couldn't believe what was happening. I can understand it happening to someone older but he's 30 years old and healthy. What the heck was going on?

When I walked into his room he didn't know me and that scared me to my core. I looked at my daughters face and quickly looked away. I'm the only one that just by looking at her can bring her emotions to the forefront and reduce her to tears. I know she didn't want to break down in front of him so I went back to the waiting room. During the next 24 hours he had every test imaginable and they all came back normal. So far, until they get the results of the EEG, he passed everything with flying colors. As of now, he's alert and can remember everything except  when the episode occurred. 

What it did was put life in perspective. We don't know when our lives can change. Thank goodness, it looks like he's going to be fine and it was some sort of TIA (transient ischemic attack) but it could have gone the other way too. The only thing that matters in this life is the health of the people we love. 

We have changed from the people that we were. While not quite on the level of a mini-stroke or something life threatening, what we have is something life changing. It take us from normal, functioning human beings and brings us to people that live our lives at the whim of our bodies. We never know what the day will bring. One day we can be free of pain and then next be down on our knees begging for God to take the pain away. We just never know.

What I do know is that we should embrace every day as a gift, no matter how we feel. Everything we know and have can be changed or taken away in a moments notice. Life is much too short. I will try not to let the stresses of life's circumstances get to me. I will try to remember that however bad I feel, life is still precious. I will try to look up into the heavens and be grateful for each breath. 

I will look at my children and smile and always thank God that they are happy and healthy. It's come too close and I was reminded how fragile life can be.

I will never take that for granted again.