Putting Things in Perspective
We always think that we have the worst problems in the world, and that no one could possibly be putting up with all the shit that we are. At least, I sometimes am guilty of doing this. Today something happened that made me take a step back and think.
As you all know, A* and I recently moved into a new apartment. We had gotten all of our stuff out except my books (about 6-8 boxes) and our Christmas decorations. These we were planning on picking up this weekend and taking to my parent's house to store, since we have no room in our place. We had left these things in the basement of our old apartment until we could get over to my parent's house. Well, we are lazy asses, and instead of doing this as soon as possible, we kept putting it off. We figured that the landlord didn't even have our keys back yet, so there was no way that someone else would be moving in at least until we did that. We were wrong. Sometime over the weekend some new tenants started to move in, and they threw everything that was in the basement away. I had been saving those books since my childhood, anxious to share them with my own children someday. And some of the Christmas ornaments were very very special to me, given to me by my mom and other family members, not to mention A* and I's "First Christmas Together" ornament, which was really important to me. I sobbed and sobbed about the loss of these things. I knew I couldn't blame it on anyone but us, but it still didn't make it any easier. I was pretty devastated.
Then I got to work this morning and there was an email in my inbox from an old high school friend. She was writing to tell me something shocking. One of our mutual friends had married a military man and moved to California to live on a base there. Her and her five year old son were living there, waiting for her husband to come back from Iraq. Yesterday her husband, along with four other men, was killed in Iraq. The couple has a little child and they had just celebrated their five year wedding anniversary together.
Now my friend is twenty five and a widow. I can't even imagine the pain she is going through. I have been numb all day, sending prayers and thoughts her way. I just keep thinking of that poor little boy, who will never know his father, and her. She is in a strange state, all alone. All of her family and friends are here, in Ohio. I don't know how I would even get through something like that. I don't even know what else to say about the whole situation, it is just so tragic I don't think there are any words.
I have A*, and my family, and my health, and a warm place to sleep at night. So I don't have some old books and Christmas ornaments. What is really important in life?
It really put things into perspective for me. The things that we get all worked up about everyday don't really matter, when it all comes down to it. We should be thankful for every moment, every kiss, every exchange of laughter that we get from our significant others, and I definitely am.
Please keep my friend and her fallen soldier in your prayers.
As you all know, A* and I recently moved into a new apartment. We had gotten all of our stuff out except my books (about 6-8 boxes) and our Christmas decorations. These we were planning on picking up this weekend and taking to my parent's house to store, since we have no room in our place. We had left these things in the basement of our old apartment until we could get over to my parent's house. Well, we are lazy asses, and instead of doing this as soon as possible, we kept putting it off. We figured that the landlord didn't even have our keys back yet, so there was no way that someone else would be moving in at least until we did that. We were wrong. Sometime over the weekend some new tenants started to move in, and they threw everything that was in the basement away. I had been saving those books since my childhood, anxious to share them with my own children someday. And some of the Christmas ornaments were very very special to me, given to me by my mom and other family members, not to mention A* and I's "First Christmas Together" ornament, which was really important to me. I sobbed and sobbed about the loss of these things. I knew I couldn't blame it on anyone but us, but it still didn't make it any easier. I was pretty devastated.
Then I got to work this morning and there was an email in my inbox from an old high school friend. She was writing to tell me something shocking. One of our mutual friends had married a military man and moved to California to live on a base there. Her and her five year old son were living there, waiting for her husband to come back from Iraq. Yesterday her husband, along with four other men, was killed in Iraq. The couple has a little child and they had just celebrated their five year wedding anniversary together.
Now my friend is twenty five and a widow. I can't even imagine the pain she is going through. I have been numb all day, sending prayers and thoughts her way. I just keep thinking of that poor little boy, who will never know his father, and her. She is in a strange state, all alone. All of her family and friends are here, in Ohio. I don't know how I would even get through something like that. I don't even know what else to say about the whole situation, it is just so tragic I don't think there are any words.
I have A*, and my family, and my health, and a warm place to sleep at night. So I don't have some old books and Christmas ornaments. What is really important in life?
It really put things into perspective for me. The things that we get all worked up about everyday don't really matter, when it all comes down to it. We should be thankful for every moment, every kiss, every exchange of laughter that we get from our significant others, and I definitely am.
Please keep my friend and her fallen soldier in your prayers.
posted by D. @ 11:37 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home