Perspective

Yesterday I attended the funeral services for a 6-year old girl who lived in my neighborhood. She died in a tragic car accident just last week. As I listened to the many speakers and watched the small, white casket be reverently taken from the church, I silently cried and prayed that I would never ever have to endure such a heartbreaking event in my own life

Since the passing of this sweet little girl, I have been looking at Toby with fresh eyes: watching how his nose crinkles when I get a good belly laugh out of him, the way he instantly shakes his little booty whenever he hears music, and how he now yells, "Deb!" in a low voice when he wants my attention. What if all that was gone in an instant? What if I could no longer take walks with him in the mornings, beam with pride as I watch him develop in such a vibrant, smart, little boy, curl up next to him in the evenings and feel his little hand twist and tangle my hair until his little eyes close and he drifts off to sleep. The thought instantly brings tears to my eyes and gives me the renewed perspective of the need to put my time and energy into the things that not only matter most, but are eternal in nature: my family.

The challenge: If only I could live each day with such a perspective and not need these close-to-home reminders of how precious the time allotted with my family really is.