Gone too soon 🫶
I can’t really say I knew a lot about my uncle Edsell. I feel like he was a very kind, loving and giving easy going type of guy. I always remember him with a smile just like this. I “planned” on visiting him during Mardi Gras one year when the kids were older.
I didn’t realize how much had changed and how much time had gone by since I put that thought in my mind.
I’ve lost touch with a lot of my relatives and friends. Not because I don’t care but because it’s easy to be “busy”. It’s easy to think you’ll visit them later, call later, you’re busy, they’re busy etc…
Busy is not a badge of honor, you don’t get any special points … all you get is wasted time and missed opportunities. While you were busy being busy you forgot to take the time to stop and reassess where all your time was going.
In my case I used to stay “busy” because I hated being called lazy. I overworked myself into a seriously debilitating exhausted state and always felt like there was still so much more to be done.
These days I’m not busy at all but I sure know how to fill up a day and lose track of time 🤣
Every time I think about it, I say I’m going to do better. I even scheduled “call family” into my calendar on a weekly basis at one point ( I may have to do that again). Sadly, it’s easy to get absorbed and wrapped up in the business of simply living life.
As I’m getting older so are my parents, aunties, uncles, siblings, children, nieces, nephews and friends. Some aren’t in the best of health and some seem perfectly fine. However, we all know that none of us will live forever (barring some crazy medical breakthrough). It’s the ones that take you by surprise that are the hardest for me. For now we’re all here together at this one time in space.
Cherish it.
I know sometimes we as humans can get caught up in the blaming and shaming game of what other people have not done for us. We have to remember that they are most likely feeling the same way about you or someone else. So extend the olive branch, build the bridge, reconnect.
Remember that whatever you’re “busy” with, it’s a choice. Make that call, take the drive, book the trip. Now is all you have.
#LoveIsAVerb
