I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day! Mine was bittersweet…my husband surprised me with a delicious picnic at one of my favorite wineries, Holly’s Hill, but on our way home, we found out that my grandpa’s health was rapidly declining. He passed away last night.
Fortunately, once we got back into town, we were able to see him one last time and say our goodbyes. Mirella even said his name, “Grandpapa,” and as soon as she said it, my grandpa’s eyes fluttered like he was trying to wake up and respond, so I knew he heard it.
Even though my grandfather was almost 90 years old and led a long life, losing a loved one is never easy. Loss is difficult no matter how much you anticipate it. My grandpa had been suffering for a while, being in and out of the hospital the past few months, which he hated. He wanted to be at home with his family, on the ranch where he grew up. Thankfully, he was able to come home and be with the ones he loved before he passed on.
With any loss, it reminds you what the true meaning of life is all about. It makes you think about what truly is important. Often times, I find myself so caught up in the craziness of life that I forget about the little things, like cherishing the snuggles with my beautiful children, being truly present when playing with them, laughing and soaking up every moment that I can (whether good or bad). All the other “stuff” doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
It’s not worth it to get stressed out over trivial things, or worried about what I didn’t finish on my to-do list; what is important is being present and living life to the fullest.
Because who knows when it is going to be your last day, so why not live everyday like it’s your last.
Questions:
How was your Mother’s Day?
Has losing a loved one made you view life differently?
I ADORE that ABE quote because it couldn’t be MORE TRUE!!!
Me too!!
Those quotes are so true and we should really try to follow them. It is hard to be the same person after losing someone close. I lost my dad two years ago and now my mom is not well, she is 90 years old. No matter what age you lose someone your life does change and you think differently for sure. So sorry for the loss of your Grandfather.
Thanks, Maryann. Yes, loss certainly changes your life and makes you appreciate the little things.
I’m so sorry for your loss Melissa. I love that quote from Abraham Lincoln and 100% agree!
Thank you, Giselle.
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandpa, Melissa. That Abraham Lincoln quote is awesome! When a loved one passes away, it definitely shakes things up in my life – it changes my perspective, a lot like you wrote about, from being distracted by the little things (to-do lists, etc.) and paying more attention to the BIG things. It’s a reminder of how short and precious life really is! Thank you for sharing this, Melissa.
Thank you, Amy. I guess the silver lining is that losing a loved one teaches you to slow down and appreciate the beauty of life!
So sorry to hear about your Grandfather!!! I lost mine a couple years ago (he was 98!) and my grandmother a couple years before that – yes, it is very hard!!!
You are so right about living life to the fullest!!!
Thanks, Kim. No matter what age, it’s always hard to lose a loved one.