Day 8

I am so very, very thankful that I have been given all the wonderful times that I have with all my family. I am thankful that at 28 I have been able to experience many important moments with my family and that to this day I have only gone through the loss of two grandparents. While I have had the unlikely narrative of losing more friends and acquaintances than I can keep count of since I was around 15, I feel extremely lucky that I have not known the feelings of losing members of my immediate family. For what ever reason, to what ever higher power I owe this, I am thankful.

Unfortunately, today I attended a memorial service for one of my friends fathers. His death came quickly and as a total surprise to all. I could not imagine being in my friend's place and losing my father; now, or ever. While I have never really considered myself a "daddy's girl" (that one would be my sister) he still is very important to me and dear to my heart and I really am not sure how I would react to losing any close members in my family. Are you close with your family? Have you ever lost a close member of your family? How old were you if you have? I think that now I am reaching the point that I have strong memories with those that are really close to me, so maybe I can say that at least I have had the times that I have with the ones I love. While there is never a right time to lose someone I wonder if it is more tragic for a young child to lose a family member or a young adult? While the child never really got to know that person and this is a tragic loss, the adult who has more memories, will they feel more loss? As you get older can you better rationalize death and loss? But can a child accept such a concept easier and move on with life faster than an adult? I don't think there is a right answer. As we get older we are abel to question death on a deeper level and internalize for our selves the idea of what happen after we die. Whether that make it easier for us or not remains unknown. If you ask me the most important thin here is to remember that we should be thankful for the time we are granted to share with the ones we love!