UNITED STATES—It seems like it always takes a tragedy to bring people together. I just literally had to go to a funeral for my uncle who passed away unexpectedly. Well to be honest, he was sick, but not many people knew because my mother’s side of the family has been estranged. It seems that people get into tiffs over things that really have no weight, but don’t realize how trivial and stupid it is until it’s way too late. I mean I saw cousins, uncles and aunts who I have literally not seen in YEARS.
It always raises that serious question for me as to why? Why are we not getting together more often? Why are we not talking on the phone or having conversations about serious matters? Why does it take a death to trigger us to realize that life matters and its more imperative that you tell the people that you care about that you love them whenever the opportunity arises instead of waiting until it’s too late? I mean I have siblings who haven’t spoken to each other in months because of a tiff they had.
The first thing that pops into my mind is the fact that if something happens to the other, they are going to live with regret knowing they didn’t make up or attempt to close a void before it was too late. People this is why it’s so important for us to remember that FAMILY MATTERS! There is indeed a reason blood is thicker than water, because when the times get tough the people that you need in your orbit are there to support you the most.
While it utterly sucked that a death had to transpire in order for us to come back together, I think it proved to so many of us that life is too short for the trivial stuff. I mean people who haven’t spoken to one another in years, finally spoke to each other. People gave one another hugs, kisses and so much more. We talked about the good and the bad, we laughed, we cried, we bonded as a family should bond during times of need. It was quite the experience, because I felt for the first time in a very long time that we acted and behaved like a family.
We showed compassion, we proved that we can get past the small stuff; we realized that life is just way too short to deal with any nefarious or stupid drama. When you’re dealing with personal stuff that can be a bit overwhelming it’s nice to have family by your side. It’s nice to pick up the phone and talk to a loved one and have them be that listening ear that you need. They don’t want to provide you with input, they just want to make sure you are able to vent and get out any frustrations, concerns and stress that might be weighing on your heart.
They may or might not understand your plight, but the key is they are there for you at a time when you need them the most. Nothing else in life at this point actually matters. I learned something crucial in the past few days; life is too short, but at the same time you don’t get to pick your family. So embrace them while you have them because you never know with the snap of a finger when a loved one can be taken away from you.
