It started with a birthday. The sudden awareness of a date that had memories and pain gushing back.
June 18 is the birth date of one of my dearest friends. Sadly, Sandy chose to leave this earth by her own hand. The passing of Robin Williams years ago prompted me to write about the path both he and my friend took.
Today I went back to read Suicide’s Silent Walls.
The first comment to my post was from another personal friend, Jan, who has also passed (from natural causes). Following Jan’s comments was one from my online friend, Roy. When I clicked on his link to his own blog post about Robin Williams, I encountered the notice his blog had expired.
With a sense of dread, I went to his Facebook page. There I found the notice from his daughter of his passing. Facebook and its lovely algorithm never chose to share it to my feed. Yet again, another friend gone.
And THAT is the #1 lousy thing about getting older. Too many friends gone.
The Other Side of Getting Older
As if to drive the theme home, before I learned about Roy, I read a friend’s Facebook post about the sudden loss of her friend and roommate at the age of 70. My friend’s post was a beautiful tribute and message.
So, while I truly believe there are many good things about getting older, it wouldn’t be life without some really lousy events, too. Those punch-in-the-gut moments are what make the important stuff stand out.
- Family and the blessing of my 101-year-old mother who is still with us
- Precious Penny, our four-legged family member who makes me smile every day
- Life/decades-long friendships (even though some are online only)
- My Pink Tahoe Ladies teammates who walked straight into my heart
- The Pink Bubble community that shares my passion for the 3-Day Walk for the Cure
Getting Older Reminders
Perhaps our waves of loss are life’s reminders of all we cherish most. It is so easy to view today’s world as noisy, angry, and so unkind. Turn down the volume and think. Think about who and not what.
- Who makes you happy?
- Who can you count on?
- Who do you cherish most?
Embrace life. Share laughs. Lead with love.
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