Silver Linings

Very recently, a dear family member of mine (who I often greeted with a "hello angel!" and who often responded with an even more cheerful, "hello angel!!!") passed away. She was a lovely lady with the loudest, most genuine laugh ever. She was sick and had been for a very long time, nearly two decades. Her passing was deeply painful for all of those who loved her, but it is comforting to know that her pain is, at last, over...a silver lining, I suppose.  I, along with everyone else that knew her, will miss her beautiful soul and laughter forever...

Another silver lining of loss, one that I became familiar with almost a decade ago when my mom passed away, is that losing someone you love reminds you to hold your living loved ones a little bit closer and to love them a little bit louder. I am often comforted by the countless memories I have of telling my mom how much I loved her, how proud of her I was, and how lucky I was to have her as my mom. Knowing that I communicated my love for her often and openly has helped me heal.

Today, I love even louder then I did back then...I remind myself to tell those that I love just how much I love them and to thank those that I'm thankful for as much as possible. I also laugh louder and allow myself to experience uninterrupted/unbridled happiness in those moments when I am blessed with its presence. After all, it is the collection of those moments of joy that make for a lifetime of happiness.

These dear loved ones who leave us do truly become angels...they are angels whose deaths teach us how to truly live.

I will miss you, angel. x