Life is Short

Life is short. We hear that all the time. Sometimes as a kid I heard that and thought, how could life be so short? It seemed as though life moved so slowly as a child. Remember how your four years in High School seemed to be an eternity and you didn't think graduation was EVER going to happen?

Now I look back on those days and I realize that it has been 30 years since I graduated and I say to myself, "Where did it go?, Life is so short."

Today was another one of those days when I said those words. Back in the early 90's I became close with a very dear family. Two sisters. One was married with twin sons, the other sister was single and devoted to God and her church. My wife, at the time, spent a great deal of time with this family. The unmarried sister became a surrogate mother to our children, as she was with us almost ever day. Many times staying overnight.

The other sister, we were not as close to, but we still were close. Her husband and her boys were her life, and she worked very hard at trying to make sure that her family was taken care of. She never worked outside of the home, and her husband didn't make a lot of money, but they always seemed to manage and you could tell that they enjoyed their life. Their twin sons were polar opposites, one was out going, active and always working, the other was a backward, introverted young man that stayed close to mom and home.

A few years ago, the youngest sister died after a hard fought battle with cancer. My kids were shaken by her death, as she was such a vital part of their growing up. About two years later her sister died, both died young, not even in their sixties yet.

Like most, life went on for the father and two sons. The outgoing son married had children, divorced and continued to work hard. The introverted son became more outgoing, worked hard and made a home for himself and also eventually married. The father also re-married and began a new life.

This afternoon my mother called me at work and reminded me how short life is. The outgoing, active, gregarious son had died. He was only 33. Thirty three years, so young and so much life that should have been ahead for him. He had two small children and was soon to be remarried. His entire life he struggled with juvenile diabetes, and even though I am not sure, I would assume it finally took it's toll on his body.

Yesterday it seems I watched that young man be baptised, start driving, grow into a strong hard working young man, and today he is gone. Yes, life is short.

For some even shorter than it should be.