Something I found

luke and great grandma on his blessing day. easter 2005

my wedding day.

I found this on an old blog that I no longer use. Its from when my Grandma Harvey passed away ,2 years ago, but I wanted to post it. Mostly due to the fact that I wanted to have it somewhere that I could keep it close... where else but the Family Blog?

"It would be nice if these sorts of things came to you without any struggle or strife...I guess that's just not how life works. Or maybe we are to busy engrossed in the daily grind to take a breath and ponder what really matters and where we really should place our value. My point? My grandmother died this Thursday. Its strange. I knew it was looming a round the corner, she's almost 95 for heavens sake. But for some reason you still feel that unexpected, heavy loss. My Dad, her Son, was in route on a plane from Denver when it all went down. My sister and brother and I got to the hospital as quickly as we could that morning. Not really realizing how bad it really was and how little time she had left in this world. As I sat there next to her bed, stroking her hair and holding her hand, it hit me. This is what it's all about. Family!! Here we were surrounding my grandma with as much love and support that we had to give, all pulling together. None of us thought twice about not being there. And at the end of her life we were together telling her how much we loved her and what an incredible life she had lived. Do I wish my Dad would have made it there to be with her in the same way we were? Of course. But there was something beautiful in the way that we were there, in proxy, for him. And I hope that she could feel his love and gratitude from him through us.
All this rambling and my point is really this. Life is to short, even if we are around as long as she was, to get priorities mixed up. I believe you get this one shot... one chance to do it right. Are you going to make mistakes? Sure. The point is to live life, maybe make a few mistakes but to see them, learn from them, and be a smart enough person to grow from them. Life is what you make it. No one can do it for you. Its up to you to be able to look at what you've done when the time comes to leave it all and to be proud of the things you left behind. Its about growing, love and its about family. Don't be so engrossed in your own life that you don't see how you effect others who love you.
Love, let people love you. Do those 2 things right and do them often."

I loved my grandma and miss her often. I cant believe its already been over 2 years since she left us. I grew up not really looking like any of my siblings, it was sort of sad for me. They even teased me that I was adopted. But when I looked at my Grandma, especially old pictures, I always felt like I fit... belonged.