One of the most scary things about death is that you never know when it's going to happen. We constantly think that people we have coffee with every morning, or six next to in class, or work with will always be there. We often hear about people dying but you never think it will happen to somebody you know or to you. When someone you do have coffee with every morning or know in some way just dies it shakes you to the core.
My sister had a coworker and friend named Austin, who she would have coffee with every Friday. Last Saturday he was killed in a motorcycle accident. My sister was in shock and in tears that her friend was gone. He was only in his early twenties around my sister's age. His father also worked at the same company. The company had a meeting and brought in grief counselors to talk with any employees that needed someone to talk to. Many employees put flowers on Austin's desk and the softball team put his shirt over his computer. All of this was going on right next to my sister. My sister said that is was one of the saddest funerals she's ever gone to. Everyone was sobbing and she couldn't bring herself to go to the cemetery because she couldn't watch parents bury their child.
My sister, Marie said that she knows when your time is up it's up. But it was the suddenness that startled her the most and the fact that Austin was so young. She said that parents shouldn't have to bury their children. And to think that this was somebody she had coffee with, joked around with, went out to lunch with occasionally and then in the snap of your fingers he's gone.
I think that when someone young dies that is probably one of the saddest deaths because it is so hard to see parents bury their child. That is a type of loss I can't even imagine. Parents are supposed to die before their children but that is not always how it happens. I think about all the grudges we hold, the regrets we may have, the stupid things we get in fights about, and the people we push away. But at the end of the day none of it matters because those people could be gone in the blink of an eye. So it seems that we should really appreciate everyone in our life and the things we have because you never know when it will be your turn.
I leave you with this quote to think about:
"Death rides on every passing breeze, he lurks in every flower." by Reginald Heber
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2 comments:
Austin's death is so sad. It must be hard for your sister to cope with. I can't imagine loosing someone that I see everyday. It is such a scary thought. I don't blame her for not going to the funeral - that would be so difficult to see.
It is so hard to live each day to the fullest because sometimes people just have bad days, but it's so ture that I for one thing, need to stop worrying about all of the little things in life and really enjoy what's around me before it's too late. I love your ending qoute - it's scary, but very true.
It's true we really do need to stop worrying about all the little things and just enjoy life.
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