Slapped by Reality

Vacation is over and reality has slapped both Scott and me in the face. Almost as soon as we arrived home the bad news came at us like a tsunami wave. Both of us are feeling worn down and we have been home for less than one week.

Tragically, Scott's cousin passed away earlier this week. She leaves two school aged boys with whom she had a tight bond. The older boy is just a year older than Robby, and I cannot fathom the pain that her boys feeling. 

Shannon was a kind and sweet person who valiantly fought against cancer for nearly a decade. While her death was not a shock, it is just as tragic. There is a new void in the family, and we are all heartbroken with her passing.

I think all families go through seasons. There are years where the family welcomes new members through marriages and births. Those are happy years. 

I fear that we are in the midst of the season of loss, when the senior generation begins to pass away and younger members are tragically taken through illnesses or accident. Those are difficult and painful years as everybody learns to cope with a void in the family unit. The family is forever changed by the grief.

This will be his third family funeral in five months. Instead of happily unpacking from our trip and getting settled back into our routine, he is now packing to go to another funeral. All of the losses are wearing heavy on everybody, especially Scott.  

As I was helping Scott locate his funeral suit, I received a message that a cousin of my Dad's (and hence my cousin) was admitted to hospice. My brother, whom I love dearly, recently has relapsed and is again struggling with his addiction demons. I am feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and fear as I ponder the losses that may be on the horizon.