tragic and breathtaking.

where've you been, girl??

good question.  i've been participating in the circle of life.  in the past few months, we've been touched by a few tragedies... and celebrated the greatest of joys in between.  it's been exhausting and exhuberant, all wrapped in the tiny, fragile present that we call life.

a few months ago, i got an email from a friend.  she and i don't speak that often... last time i think was about two years ago, and before that, it was when she made the trek to myrtle beach to spend a day with us when i was pregnant with meg.  she is not only one of my oldest friends... our days began a long time ago, when we held hands outside her front porch and got our picture taken together before we stepped on the school bus for the first time, kindergarten-bound... but one of my dearest, as well.  and i have always been a little jealous of her beautiful name, so i can safely say that she is part of the inspiration behind my daughter's name.  that's right, miss meg was getting married.  she tracked me down through email and invited us to share in her special day.  to say that i was flattered would be an understatement.  we drove down to south carolina this weekend to wish her a lifetime of happiness with the love of her life. 

sitting in the church while listening to the ceremony, i was struck at how beautiful life is.  she was the most gorgeous bride, an electric smile that lit up the sanctuary as she made her way to her betrothed.  it was just breath-taking, and i was so happy to be there at that moment.

toward the end of the ceremony, after they said their "i do's", the pastor prayed that all married couples in attendance would also be recommited in their loyalty to one another, and i glanced over at miguel.  i was all at once thankful for the man and father that he is, thankful for the family and life that we have, and thankful to be sharing a lifetime of moments with someone who loves me.  we had spent ten hours in the car getting to south carolina, and we were sharing laughs and memories of road trips past.  just 9 years ago, we traveled that same road all the way to miami to get on a plane and go to the bahamas.  days later, looking out at the moonlit and sparkling ocean that surrounded us on a pier, he asked me to marry him.  and in that church, surrounded by meg's family and friends, i was glad that i said yes. 

coming home, we got word that a friend of ours was tragically killed over the weekend.  and then once home, we found out that another friend's baby had passed away.  and then came the cancer diagnoses... the destruction caused by tornadoes... the awful, awful news doesn't quite seem to end.  it leaves us reeling, wondering what it all means. 

i don't pretend to have any answers to our eternal questions, but i do know this.  we're supposed to be celebrating.  even in death, the funeral is not supposed to be anything but a celebration of the life that the person has lived.  the accomplishments that they have made.  the beautiful children that they have brought into this world.  we're supposed to be celebrating the tiny moments... giving our love to people freely and deeply.  the bad news lately has reminded me that life is indeed short... whether you live mere months, 34 years, or almost 90. 

i aspire to be a person who is more of a giver than a taker.  more laughter than tears.  more effort put toward the positive instead of dwelling in all the negative. 

there's a lot of life to be lived.  it's all at once tragic and breathtaking.  but also so, so worth the celebration.