One day they, us, you and them are there.
The next day they are not.
And life keeps moving as though nothing happened.
But something DID happen.
NOTICE GIVEN
Sometimes life gives warning.
A loved one becomes ill.
A friend struggles.
A neighbor slowly fades before our eyes.
You see it unfolding little by little until one day…
they are gone.
Painful?
Yes.
But at least the soul had time to prepare itself somewhat for the loss.
NO NOTICE GIVEN
Then there is the passing that comes without warning.
No preparation.
No final conversation.
No chance to revisit unfinished thoughts.
You saw them yesterday.
You expected tomorrow.
But tomorrow never came for them.
This kind of loss shocks us differently because it forces us to confront something we spend most of our lives avoiding:
Nothing here is guaranteed.
Not another conversation.
Not another embrace.
Not another opportunity to say what mattered.
TAKE THE TIME
Someone I worked with passed away suddenly not long ago.
I was courteous.
Helpful.
Kind.
But after hearing the news, I realized there were deeper things I would have liked to say if time had allowed.
But time waits for no one.
It does not negotiate.
And when its moment comes…
it has the final say.
ASK WHILE I AM STILL HERE
I tell my children and those close to me:
If there is anything you want to know…
ask me now.
Ask while I am alive.
Assume nothing about the past.
Do not wait for someday.
Even difficult conversations become treasures once someone is gone.
Questions left unasked can echo for a lifetime.
THERE IS A CAP ON OUR LIFESPAN
In much of the Western world, we avoid speaking about death.
We push it aside.
Change the subject.
Pretend distance protects us from reality.
But death is part of life.
Always has been.
And perhaps knowing life ends should teach us how to live better…
love better…
forgive better…
and speak better.
SHIPS SHOULD NOT PASS IN THE NIGHT
I have become more aware of how I interact with people now.
If I have encouragement to give…
I give it.
If I have gratitude to express…
I express it.
If correction is needed…
it should be done privately and with love.
Because we never truly know when our final interaction with someone will be.
POWER FOR GOOD
We possess tremendous power over one another.
The power to wound…
or the power to heal.
The power to leave someone heavier…
or leave them lighter.
At minimum, let us harm no one as we travel through this life trying to make sense of it all.
And if disagreement comes, let us part on the best reasonable note possible.
That effort matters.
More than many realize.
Did this speak to your heart or life journey?
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— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
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