Sadness

I know what you're thinking, "no posts for 2+ weeks & now 2 in day!"

Well, you may not want to read this one, as it will be a rather sad post. Something that I wouldn't usually write about, but I am feeling the need to get it out...

me, Jason & Karter at our 20yr HS reunion

I attended the funeral today of that rather handsome man in the photo above. He's the same age as me & died in an accident last weekend. A stupid, shouldn't have happened accident!

 We weren't super close, but as my friend Kelly said at the funeral when I commented on how I couldn't even remember when I FIRST met Jason, she said, "I just remember him always being there." That is so true! I have snippets of memories from school with Jason & all our friends, but most memorable was the few hours we spent together during & after our 20th reunion. He joined a group of us girls (as usual - surrounded by women!) after the reunion for a few more drinks on the town. He was making us all laugh through the night.

Jason in Iraq 2009

He had a very adventurous life traveling the world & even working as a contractor in war-time Iraq & Bosnia with their governments trying to rebuild. He pictured a better world & wanted to be involved in making it so. (He left for Iraq shortly after our reunion - we were all terribly worried for him.)

Jason in Turkey 2010

The service today was sad, beautiful & full of melancholy as many friends & family shared stories. There was a wonderful slide show of him playing in the background as well as some of his favorite music.

Listening to the stories from people he had met in recent years made me wish so much that we had kept in touch better after the reunion. I ran into him a few times - even just a few weeks ago at the store - & we always promised to get together, catch up & encourage each other to get the local gym! But we never did. He was a handsome, friendly, caring, humorous & genuine man who always had a smile for you & made you feel good when you were around him. I will miss him.

These stories also made me sad for the relationships I have now.

Friends that I hardly see because we are all so "busy."  Old friends that I have known since childhood that live so close, but we still only manage to see each other 1-2x a year. It made me sad that so much time has slipped by & it scared me too.

For what might the future hold for them, me, anyone?

I realized that our lives can change in an instant, as it did for Jason & his family. 

I don't want to attend any more funerals of friends & feel regret for time passing us by without sharing more of it together. 

Life is simply too short.

A quote from the pastor of the service, something he was told during a sad time in his life:

"Love leaves more than Death takes away."

We need more LOVE in our lives.

Thanks for listening,

{{HUGS}}