Putting things in perspective

This has been a week of seriously putting things in perspective for me.

Last Friday, I woke up happy, thankful for the sunshine, thankful for Dylan being better.  I was ready to Tweet it up and post a light, happy status on my Facebook.

And then I began to get reports of the horrendous earthquake in Japan. 

And suddenly, all of my little problems seemed non-existent.  It even seemed wrong for me to be so happy and excited that it was a bright, sunshiney Friday.

Sometimes, it just seems so wrong that in the light of a tragedy such as the Japan Earthquake that life just keeps on going.  It seems like everything should just stop.

I remember right after 9-11 when air travel was ceased...I was outside with Dylan while he was playing...it was a beautiful day.  It was so much quieter...which I knew was due to the fact that there were no planes flying over our house.  We don't live in a high-traffic air pattern, but we are between the two airports in our area and so we get some air traffic throughout the day.  It's just part of the normal sound track. 

But, to me, I remember thinking that it just seemed so strange that thousands of people had just lost their lives only days before and our little world had changed so much in such a short amount of time, but my life still appeared so normal.  It was just another day in my life with my Kindergarten son who was enjoying the bright, sunshiney, fall day.

Slowly, the shock of what had happened in Japan began to wear off and I did celebrate the day...the sunshine...my kid's wellness.

The weekend went on...my life returned to normal.

Monday & Tuesday came in rough...stressful...tiring.

Yesterday evening was such a fun time...I was at my sister's for a Scentsy/Thirty-One party.  We laughed...a lot.  I was a little annoyed when I left because it was raining...and I had to back out of her LONG driveway...and I don't back well.  I got home...was sitting in bed playing Sudoku, when I received a text from my best friend that a friend of hers, that I also knew...just not as well, had died yesterday evening in a car accident.

I stared at my phone for about 5 minutes trying to process if this could possibly be the same girl that I knew...that I had just seen only a few weeks ago...that we had just talked about at my sister's party. 

And suddenly, all of the little annoyances in my life seemed so small & insignificant.  At the same time, I just wanted, at that moment, to have all of the people that I loved around me. 

I began to also think about this girl's family...her mother, father, brother & sister...her husband...her almost 3 year old little boy.  I wondered where she was going...or coming from.  I wondered what her little boy would remember about his mom...who, no question about it, loved her son so much.

I don't fear dying itself...I know that I am promised eternal life in Heaven because I gave my life to Jesus when I was 13.  My fear is for the people that I would leave behind...and not being able to be there with them.

The events of this week have just put things in perspective for me.  Please love on your kids...stop whining about all the "bad" things they do.  Hug them...make sure they know you love them.  Do the same for your parents, siblings and friends.  Be kind to people.  Don't put things off until tomorrow...we aren't promised tomorrow, after all.  Keep in mind the legacy that you are leaving behind...whether it be in the minds of your family, friends, or the people you deal with on a daily basis.  You never know what kind of impression you are leaving behind.