Life is Precious

Anyone that knows my family - I mean REALLY knows us - knows that we have "issues". Yes, I know no one's perfect & everyone has skeletons in their closets, but until you get to know my family, you wouldn't believe me if I told you the kinds of things we face in the Froistad-O'Neill-Reid-Savold family. We have ex-cons, alcoholics & drug addicts. We've gone through infidelity & divorce. Cancer - which is rearing its ugly head in my family once again. Death. Rehab. Lots & lots of therapy. You name it, we've probably dealt with it in some way, shape or form. But the thing that sets my family apart is that even though we have gone through these things, we still support each other & we don't give up when things get tough. We may not see each other as often as we'd like, but we take any chance we can to meet up with family. Family should never be an inconvenience.

This past weekend, although I wasn't able to, my parents, sister & brother got the chance to spend some time with my great uncle & aunt, Mike & Mary Lou - my mom's uncle & aunt - down at the River Walk in San Antonio. As with most time spent with Mary Lou & "Smokey Head" as we called Mike when we were little, the trip was a blast, but plagued with a sad reality: Mike has terminal cancer & only has 6 more months to a year left to live. You can read about my sister's time with them here: http://eternalsunshine-graceunending.blogspot.com/2013/01/great-places-smiling-faces.html. Instead of the "poor me" attitude that comes with a territory sometimes, Mike & Mary Lou are spending these precious moments LIVING life, not feeling sorry for the inevitable future that is in store for them soon. They're traveling, spending time with those who mean so much to them & taking the chance to say goodbye.
 

I guess the "moral" of this post is to seize the moment. Don't wait until the end to make things right with loved ones. Spend your time living & loving those who mean the most to you. Family, although they may be crazy, they're who you are & where you come from. Don't take it for granted because one day, they'll be gone & your chance will be gone with them.

Uncle Smokey Head, you will be greatly missed, but I know one day, I'll see you again ♥

"Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death."

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