When you have a baby people are always telling you to cherish the time because "it goes by so fast." Then when your adorable, chubby-faced toddler adamantly demands to wear his/her favorite Halloween costume everywhere you go, never mind that it is the middle of June, people smile and tell you to cherish it because "it goes by so fast." Next thing you know, you are busy making lunches, struggling through night after night of homework, providing shuttle service to after-school activities, trying to provide nutritious family dinners, (where if you're lucky everyone sits down together), hoping and praying that your kids know how special they are and how much you love them, and hoping that you are remembering to cherish every moment.
My children are 9 and 11 now, and I love them so much that I almost feel a squeeze on my heart when I stop to think about how special they are. We share so many wonderful memories and have plans to make many more. However, sometimes I stop and recognize how fast their little lives have passed. I have had a decade with them and I almost can't believe it. I have had three and half decades of my own life and I really can't believe that!
This past week I had the opportunity to work in the ER while I train to be a nurse. I had my very first encounter with human death. Until then I had never been with anyone dying. It might sound weird and morbid, but I had actually almost been expecting this inevitable experience with a bit of excitement, coupled with a bit of anxiety. Training for the field of nursing, I knew that death would be an inescapable part of my career, and I was eager to see how I would deal with it. My feelings were in some ways expected. Of course I felt remorse for his (and his family's) loss. I said a little prayer for his soul. I also wondered about his life, and hoped that he had been happy and had remembered to cherish it. This patient was far too young to die. In fact, he wasn't too much older than me. Perhaps he even has parents still living. I feel for his surviving family, and hope that they too remembered to love and cherish him. I bet it wasn't that long ago that someone was reminding his momma to enjoy the silly childish giggles and all of his years of growing.
Life here on earth really does go by so fast. While I want my life to count and make a difference for others, I want to truly enjoy it as well. When I reflect on what brings me fulfillment and joy it doesn't take long to see the images of my beautiful children in my head, or my super cute and loving hubby, or my parents who have always loved me unconditionally, or my goof-ball sister who is virtually "attached" to me even though we live 3 states away, or her adorable family that I would do anything for, or my brother who is in many ways my hero, or my new in-laws who charm me with their southern love, or my true-blue friends like Kia and Jenn who have seen me at my worst, have laughed their butts off with me, and have "had my back" all along, or many others who have touched my life along the way. My life is rich because of these people. I love them all and I intend to never let them forget that! Who do you cherish? Do they know it?
