Sudden Departures

I haven't been able to stop thinking about my sister Ro's family this week. A very close family friend died unexpectedly. He was only 38, had had a surgery last week and was home doing fine. Then got a blood clot of sorts and died. What a shock!

This is exactly the same scenario of our dear friends who lost their dad last winter. Knee surgery. Home. Blood clot. Gone. Without a chance to say goodbye.

So yes, I've been a touch weepy. Thinking about them all – and my friend who should be packing up her daughter (my girl Em) for college right now. But she left, too. No goodbye.

I shared the following thoughts today and it caused a lump in my throat just writing it. I didn't mean to overlook family or friends who may be in the same painful frame of mind, but these three were close at heart...

Somewhere in my sister's house there's an empty chair where a dear family friend would enjoy her homemade treats. Somewhere in my girlfriend's house there's an empty suitcase that should have been filled with clothes for her daughter's first year of college. Somewhere near Assumption, there's a girl heading off to Loras and her grandpa's not around to kiss her good luck.

Everywhere there are people missing someone today who left without a goodbye.

Hug the ones you're with.