A season of progress, you say... so how do we measure ours? We are clicking off days, some of them mostly good. We went on a family vacation as a family of three. But our emotions and sadness and anger are still never far from the surface. Today, this 3 month anniversary, is hard. Shannon's friends are remembering her on their Facebook posts today. It's hard for them, too.
But, while we've suffered a great loss, we've gained things, too. An awareness of the human condition. Deeper friendships. We remember to not sweat the small stuff, and there is a lot of small stuff. We try to do our best each day - whatever we have in us - and then we go too sleep and get up the next day and try to do our best again. It's a pretty simple formula, really.
Now, of course we would trade all this awareness to have her back. We'd bury our heads right back in the sand if it meant we could hear her laugh and see her smile and listen to her enthusiastically tell a story. Why isn't she here watching the Twins home opener with us today? Her absence is painful.
But she is gone, so we must take what we have learned - to accept this knowledge that we've gained - and continue on. We are better people, more aware of others, more aware of ourselves because of Shannon. That is an incredible gift we have been given ...
