Passing in the blink of an eye

So many underlying occurrences going on at one time, impacting the human spirit, slowly muddeling us as it goes. Bosses Auntie dies from a weird quick infection that shuts down her organs totally, they are lucky they get to see her awake first, she still knows them. She passes, same day a customer passes suddenly, goes in for heart stint, boom, done. Same day we get knews of Robyn another customer friend, always teasing her as she scheduled more jewelry from her husband at holidays, when she'd buy a car, I'd tell her it was time for more jewelry, they were in an accident a week before, got Robyn a chest xray as it was sore from the impact, lung cancer, malignant gone to many other places already, non smoker, go figure! My cousin Anita, Jo's daughter, loses her 30ish first born son suddenly. I feel her pain, no parent should lose a child, he is named after his father, his grandfather, and his great grand father, and was known to be a Irish American charmer like my own 32 year old son is. Last October I sat in Anita house re-united with all of Irish cousins for Jo's birthday party, I met her young charmer. Several others on both sides of the family battle different health related wars, I love them and carry them in my heart as they try to enjoy some more. I wander out to the back yard, Arbor celebration, picture of a McDonald Tree gotten in 1986 by our boy, tree grown as high as the wires off the poles now, giant forsythia bushes planted in 1985, gorgeous, having witnessed much in the events of our lives. And back to Rick's 5 minutes, and embracing all we have while we have it <3 A very favorite writing since I first read it some 40 years ago: A Tear And A Smile by Khalil Gibran I would not exchange the sorrows of my heart For the joys of the multitude. And I would not have the tears that sadness makes To flow from my every part turn into laughter. I would that my life remain a tear and a smile. A tear to purify my heart and give me understanding Of life's secrets and hidden things. A smile to draw me nigh to the sons of my kind and To be a symbol of my glorification of the gods. A tear to unite me with those of broken heart; A smile to be a sign of my joy in existence. I would rather that I died in yearning and longing than that I live Weary and despairing. I want the hunger for love and beauty to be in the Depths of my spirit,for I have seen those who are Satisfied the most wretched of people. I have heard the sigh of those in yearning and Longing, and it is sweeter than the sweetest melody. With evening's coming the flower folds her petals And sleeps, embracingher longing. At morning's approach she opens her lips to meet The sun's kiss. The life of a flower is longing and fulfilment. A tear and a smile. The waters of the sea become vapor and rise and come Together and area cloud. And the cloud floats above the hills and valleys Until it meets the gentle breeze, then falls weeping To the fields and joins with brooks and rivers to Return to the sea, its home. The life of clouds is a parting and a meeting. A tear and a smile. And so does the spirit become separated from The greater spirit to move in the world of matter And pass as a cloud over the mountain of sorrow And the plains of joy to meet the breeze of death And return whence it came. To the ocean of Love and Beauty----to God.