25 years ago, my mom went home to be with the Saviour she loved after a 2 year battle with cancer. I was only 17. She was my best friend, my confidante, and one of the most beautiful people I have ever met, inside and out. She was always willing to help others and she modelled compassion and service. When she passed, I felt as though I had been torn in two. I thought I would never be whole again.
But God…
My mom was the person who introduced me to Jesus and taught me to seek Him for myself and I am forever grateful that she did. If not for my relationship with Jesus, I don’t know how I would have made it through. I clung to Him as my life line while I was drowning and suffocating in grief. He carried me through and eventually I came to find solid ground underneath my feet.
Today, I still feel the loss, but I can remember without the pain. I can look back with gratitude on the closeness we shared, the memories we made, and the things that my mom taught me. She was by no means perfect. My mom had her struggles and her flaws. But she taught me how to love well, love deeply, love fully. And it challenges me to be intentional with my own children, with my husband, and with my other relationships. While I miss my mom, I can look back without regret and savour the experiences and conversations that we shared because we invested in our relationship together. And that is a huge gift!
On this Wisdom Wednesday, a day of remembrance, let me share some of her wisdom with you:
Cherish your loved ones.
Don’t take your relationships for granted. Take the time to truly cherish those who are special to you. And make sure they KNOW that you treasure them. Hold them close. Life is too short to hold each other at arms length or leave room for uncertainty with those we love.
Work on the relationships that are important.
Communicate well. Don’t allow arguments to go unresolved, or important things to go unsaid. Don’t let things fester. Admit when you are wrong. Seek forgiveness and reconciliation – even if it means that the other person may not respond the way that you hoped. Pray for them. Keep showing up and putting in the effort, even when things get difficult. Learn what makes them feel loved and invest in building and deepening your relationships with those who are most important to you in tangible ways. Prioritize your relationships and the level of investment that each one requires to be strong and healthy. And then be willing to let go and walk away from any relationships that are harmful or damaging to you.
Live today.
Too often we get caught up racing towards tomorrow and we don’t savour the moments and the people in our “today”. Slow down. Breathe deep. Look around and really take the time to see the beauty of the present. Let’s live life today to the fullest, walk in gratitude for what we have been given, and love fiercely. Love like Jesus has loved us. Love like there’s no tomorrow. Because tomorrow’s not guaranteed, but today has been given as a gift.
Until next time…
Of Shattered Things 