Thursday, April 12, 2007
Remembering what's important
I've been more than a little stressed out lately at the new job. I'm working 10-14 hours a day and I've been somewhat tired, cranky, angry, depressed and a lot of other unattractive things.

Today I heard something that was a wake-up call.

Today was a very sad day. I worked a half-day and then I went to the funeral of a friend's husband. The friend is someone who I used to work with, someone that I care for deeply. She's smart, and good, and one of the most funny people I know. We haven't worked together in about 6 years, and our busy lives have kept us apart, so once we stopped working together, we didn't see much of each other. She has two great kids, one is 6 - he was born around the time my nephew was born, and the older boy is around 14. Great kids.

Last weekend they were out with friends, when her husband suddenly died of a massive heart attack. He was only 54 - far too young. I didn't know him, but his funeral was hard. It was hard seeing my friend in so much pain - though she is strong and is handling this so well. It was heartbreaking seeing those young boys who lost the dad they love so much.

Funerals are always sort of a wake up call. They remind us that life is fleeting and that we have to live it to the fullest. They remind us that family and friends are more important than the corporate ladder and a lot of other stressful things that interfere with the enjoyment of life.

The clergyman who led the service did a very good job. He talked of all the great qualities that my friend's husband had - how he so loved his family and never took his eye of how important they are, and how he enjoyed them. He then said one line that really stuck with me. He said "the important things in life are often sacrificed on the alter of urgency".

Wow. I needed to hear that. I've been allowing myself to get wrapped up in the urgency of work at the expense of the urgency of life. I hope that I can remember that message and that it will help me deal with the daily stress that, in the long run, is so unimportant.

And now I'm going to begin to crochet a comfortghan for my friend and her boys.


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