Life Matters

 I was thinking last weekend about how short life really is. In the last month, I've lost two aunts and a former high school and college classmate who lost a long battle with cancer. I only have 1 aunt and 1 uncle left, both on my mom's side of the family. It made me realize how our time above ground is limited.

My aunt Nettie passed away on New Year's Eve Day unexpectedly. I was out of town at a Sevendust concert in Green Bay, WI, and didn't hear the news until I returned home the next day. Nettie was the 2nd oldest of 10 kids in Mom's family (7 boys and 3 girls) and was still quite mentally sharp. I'm glad that I got to catch up with her last summer at a family get-together.

My aunt Connie passed away on January 8th after dealing with some health issues for a while. She wasn't my favorite relative, because there were some lingering family issues, but she was family nonetheless. Unfortunately, I missed both of the services because I was self-quarantining after testing positive for Covid (I had nothing more than cold symptoms and have been feeling much better), but I heard from my parents that they were well-attended and there were plenty of people who had good things to say about them both.

I was surprised to hear last weekend that my old classmate (and star of the ROCORI 1988 boys' basketball state champion team) passed away. I didn't know that he'd been battling cancer. I had a few classes with him in high school and college, and he seemed like an intelligent and kind person. I'm sure those closest to him know how much he mattered to them.

Three deaths in less than a month made me ponder about the fragility of human existence. We never know when it could be taken away from us, so why not try to live each moment to the fullest and value those who are close to us? It seems like we get so caught up in the daily activities and all the negativity going on in the world that we sometimes lose focus. I'm making more of a conscious effort to not dwell on the bad and instead appreciate the good. I've been job-hunting since November and the rejections and ghosting can be discouraging, but I've also had some good interviews and feedback and I have at least one freelance gig lined up so far. I just have to keep pushing forward and believing in myself. The ideal career will be found, probably sooner than later (I hope). 

Well, that's all for now. I'd like to resume my music series sometime soon. It all depends on ideas and my free time. Until my next post, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.