A year. 365 days. 8,760 hours. Seems like a long time, but it goes by so fast. And here I am, asking myself, "Has it been a year already?"
Last night I went out with several of the women in my family to celebrate my uncle's birthday. Next week will be one year since he passed away. Has it been a year already?
Sunday during the Super Bowl pre-game I watched the incredible story about Steve Gleason and his diagnosis last year of having ALS. This brought me to tears as I thought of our dear friend Gary, and how next month will be one year since his diagnosis with ALS. Has it been a year already?
I miss my uncle so much - I think of him almost every day, and of course wish I could have said goodbye and tell him how much I love him. I cannot believe that he's been gone for a year. It doesn't seem possible. It still doesn't quite seem real... and his death was so unexpected. No terminal illness looming in the background - no "time" to say goodbye and I love you. He's just gone.
And Gary has ALS and is fighting for his life - dealing with a horrible disease that's crippling his body and making the simplest of tasks a struggle. It reminds me that life is short and precious. It doesn't go on forever, and for some, it will end sooner than for others. We have no idea how much longer Gary has to live - it's one of the cruelties of this horrible disease - no cure, no common pattern of progression, no common life expectancy. I hope all of his family and friends are taking the precious time they have left to spend with him and love him. Because soon we'll be asking again...
Has it really been a year? And have I done all that I could to show those around me how much I love them and how much they mean to me? Or have I been wrapped up in work and social activities and day to day life, and continued to neglect what a year ago I swore I wouldn't? I know my answer to that question.
What's your answer?
