Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Celebrate The Lasts

(Warning: This may require tissues!)

Yesterday I attended the funeral of a fellow Navy wife, who died unexpectedly

on Friday.

My heart was very heavy because I had just seen and spoken to her Thursday

and less than 12 hours later, she had passed away.

She left behind a husband and 2 young daughters
.

Her funeral was more of a celebration of her life rather than the mourning of her untimely death.

So much was centered around this book :




If you are unfamiliar with the book, it is a celebration of lasts.

Here is an excerpt from the book and this is where you will need the tissue:

"Long ago you came to me,

a miracle of firsts:

First smiles, and teeth, and baby steps,

a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away,

and leave me your past,

And I will be thinking of a lifetime of your lasts."


So after all of my tears, I thought about all of the lasts of my

Little Person- the last diaper that I changed, the last time night he slept in his

crib, the picture that he drew, the last time that I could hold him over my shoulder.

And through all of it, I found that I needed to change my priorities.

Yes, the laundry needs to be done and yes, I want to finish another quilt,

but you never know when the last will be the last.



So if anything good is going to come out of this tragedy, it is to remind us to make

all of the firsts and lasts really count as if they were really the first

and the last!



(Sorry for the long emotional outpouring! and YES, I will still be around blogland!)

Until Next Time.....Happy Quilting (and celebrating the Lasts)

10 comments:

Michelle said...

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

Deb said...

What an absolutely beautiful post with such true and throughtful words.

Carol said...

What an incredible post! Thank you for sharing it with us. You are so very right...we must celebrate each day!

Anonymous said...

I sit here with heavy heart to know that somebody was taken so suddenly and unexpected. Your post really hit home today...we must live each moment as though our last. How old are her little ones? Is other family nearby? Anything we can do to help?

Millie said...

I am so so sorry to hear about loosing your great friend. Can we help with something?
You asked me if I enjoyed working with the solids on my Waverunner quilt. I am new to solids and I had a great time, but now it is time for prints again.

Unknown said...

A lovely book, which her children may find helpful, is "No Matter What" by Debi Gilori. Sam and I have read it so many times since his stepfather was killed in a bike accident, and it talks of how love goes on, and doesn't end, even after we are gone.

It's a book I'd say every child should have read to them, and I don't say that about many books.

Trisha said...

So sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing the book. I think that I will get and read it often as a reminder of what is truly important!

amy smart said...

Oh, it's so much harder when it's a young mom leaving little ones behind, isn't it? Thanks so much for sharing that book. I've been having so many more thoughts about "lasts" lately as well. I've definitely been more patient with my kids, more grateful to my husband and less interested in things that don't matter. It's sad that it takes a tragedy to put things in perspective, but it's good to get to that point.

Thanks for your sweet comments and sympathy. Hugs to you as well.

Nanette Merrill said...

I know how you feel. I listened to a talk the other day that made me really think. Quilting is a wonderful fabulous creative way to spend time. But there are other more important things I should be doing sometimes. I know. There is a time and season to everything.

Giddy for Paisley said...

Sorry to hear about your loss. The book looks lovely and a great reminder to all of us what "really" is important and what we really have to be thankful for. Thank you for the reminder I am going to go cuddle with my little guy.