Hug Your People

It’s been a long, challenging week for a lot of people. When something unspeakable happens to someone you know, the effects keep rippling until they are nearly invisible. The waves are still there, though, just below the surface.

Last weekend we went to our cabin for a neighborhood cleanup. The winter, though short, was strong enough to take some trees down, some completely, and some just partially. A huge group of neighbors banded together, and this was the first time I had been a part of it. A chipper was involved, as was a chainsaw, though I was tasked with making breakfast burritos and watching the grand dogs. We all had our roles, regardless of importance.

Anyway, I need to get to the point. A few hour later, one of our neighbors was hit by a falling tree and didn’t make it. The horrifying hours that followed left all of us in shock and disbelief. Even as I type this, I feel like it should have been a dream. I am proud of the two paramedics in my family, my daughter and her husband. I know they did all they could, and I hope our neighbor’s wife takes some solace from that. Having absolutely no idea of how she is processing her loss, I can only hope. And that is as detailed as I’d like to get with this story…

So writing this should be cathartic for me, as is talking to and texting our mountain neighbors. We are a bit closer with this shared experience; one that no one should ever have to go through. I called and texted my kids more this week, and hugged Bob every chance I got. And I don’t see this waning. You never know when something unexpected and tragic can happen. My dad’s car accident is a perfect example, and the grief is still there, just below the surface, almost eleven years later.

So I am not posting this in hopes of getting likes, comments or anything like that. Just hug your people every chance you get, reach out and text, call or visit as often as you can, and live your life surrounded by people you love. Try to find the joy in living, and not look for answers to the tragedies. Because you won’t find them.

I know we can’t just shake off what happened, nor should we. We can be there for each other, and for everyone else who means something to us. So I sign off now, as the emotions are once again surfacing, but I think that’s healthy.

Until next time, when I hope to have something more uplifting to share.

Love to all of my readers!