It Happened

A classmate from high school lost her dad this weekend and she shared this quote in his obituary. I love it. Of course I had to go ruin the solemn moment by trying find which book he used this line in and, come to find out, he never said it. It was just falsely attributed to him and never corrected. And that's how a former reporter messes with sentiment.

I still like the quote, though. No matter who said it.

It's a good reminder that even though it's tough to move on sometimes, we have to be grateful we had what we had in that moment of time. Would we do it all over again despite the pain of sorrow? Yes, because it happened – and it was good.

In a sad twist of irony this week, both Jim and I have friends who are hurting and grieving. Three of our former classmates (high school and college) lost fathers this week, Jim lost a longtime friend quite unexpectedly last week, and a counselor at school, who Jim has known an especially long time, lost his wife on Sunday.

The last two are the saddest situations. Yes, it's tough to lose a parent, but we are at that certain age where we know it could happen at any time. We are more prepared.

In the case of Jim's friend Tom. He was the picture of health and was going to be 60 this month. He died of a heart attack while snow shoeing with his wife and two grown children. Imagine the shock! Tom was very, very involved in the whole Wisconsin Rapids community so a lot of people will feel that loss.

As for the guidance counselor and his wife, their story is an amazing one. Brian was an incredible athlete in high school but a football injury paralyzed him in college. Wheelchair bound, he married Bev, a nurse, and they have had an amazing 45+ years of marriage. She was Brian's main caregiver so this is going to be a tremendous challenge now for him and the family once they get over the shock of her heart attack and death.


So sad. Just doesn't seem right that after spending the holidays celebrating with loved ones, those left behind will not look at this time of year ever the same again. We think of the new year as a time for new life, new beginnings, not death or the end.

Hopefully our friends who are crying now will be able to smile at some point because they had those special people in their lives for as long as they did.

I will always miss the ones who were taken too soon (in my opinion), but will rejoice in our time together and be grateful "it happened." Thanks, God, for blessing us all.