Georgia Beers | Perspective

Perspective

Written by Georgia Tuesday, 29 September 2009 19:00

First of all, let me just admit that I was apparently in the south too long because it’s about 50 out this morning and I am positively freezing. I got really wimpy really fast living in the warmth. Oh, well. Still happy to be home.

September has been a rough month for Bonnie and me. As you already know if you’ve been keeping up with the rambling of my blogs, we lost my aunt early in the month. Last week, we lost our sister-in-law Tracey to cancer at 46 years old. It’s confusing and heartbreaking and wrong, but rather than blather on about the unfairness of life (because believe me, after this month I absolutely could do that), I want to talk a little bit about perspective. That’s what’s been on my mind since Tracey’s memorial service.

Bonnie walked the dogs yesterday in the pouring rain. (FYI, she did this because Henry, our 14-year-old Westie, knows the morning routine and if he doesn’t get his walk first thing, he makes a total nuisance of himself until he does…one really has no choice but to obey His Highness.) I had to head off to work, and I hadn’t realized it was raining quite as hard as it was, so I felt bad for her as she trudged off into the wet. But she sent me an e-mail when she got back and told me that yes, she’d gotten soaked, but what a blessing that she could feel the rain on her face when Tracey no longer can. Thinking about it that way, she decided that a little rain isn’t so bad.

Since that conversation, I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s really important in life. I’m a chronic worrier, but when I think about Tracey and how her life was cut short, I wonder if maybe I can just relax and chill out a bit. Yes, I want terribly to get into our new house and be settled and have my own space again, but is that the most important thing in life? Is it how much money I make or the kind of car I drive or the wardrobe hanging in my closet? Does it really matter if somebody is rude to me for no reason or if I’m screwed over by a former business associate or if my books are translated into another language? Is it really that important? In the grand scheme of life, is that what means the most?

The answer, obviously, is no. The perspective given to me by Tracey’s death is helping me to understand what matters in my life. The important things are our loved ones and our sense of self and our community and the beauty of nature. Things that actually have meaning, things that make the world a better place. Life is short. It’s a cliché, but it’s a cliché that happens to be frighteningly true. Nothing puts things into perspective faster than the death of somebody far too young to die. I’m not a fan of Grey’s Anatomy, but I’m going to borrow a blurb that Meredith said in a voice-over from last season because I think it’s incredibly apropos:

"Did you say it? 'I love you. I don't ever want to live without you. You changed my life.' Did you say it? Make a plan. Set a goal. Work toward it, but every now and then, look around; drink it in 'cause this is it. It might all be gone tomorrow."

My advice is to say it. Say everything you want to say. Don’t wait. Grab some perspective and hold on tight. Life is good, but life is also short, and it could all be gone tomorrow. You never, ever know.

Drink it in. Just take a moment to stop, look around, and drink it in.

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Comments (1)

|10-05-2009 11:54:54 Janet - YES!

It's so easy to get caught up in the little everyday crap that comes our way but the big picture is more important! I'm sorry you've had such a heartbreaking month. But I'm also glad that you and Bonnie are looking at the positive. With each day we grow because if we stop growing we will wither and die. Hugs to you Georgia and Bonnie too

HENRY IS 14?!?

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