Tom's Tigger: Death/Grief/Coping

Just a brief post tonight before heading to bed. My life has been inundated with close family members and friends dying lately. I buried my mother last September after a roller coaster ride of illnesses followed by wellness. Then we found out that our dearest friend in the world was dying of stage 4 liver cancer - he died April 28th. And, just this week our son-in-law's grandmother died after a lengthy illness. All of these deaths were "expected" but we are not able to really prepare ourselves for the loss of someone we love. As Christians we know that to be absent from the earthly body is to be present with the Lord. That scriptural promise blesses us and offers a buffer to bitter pain. My daughters, sons-in-law, Tom, and I have made it a point to always express our deepest love for one another as often as we can. We have always been a loving group - but had become complacent, as many other families have done. So, to my dear friends, family, and interested readers I want to encourage you to never pass up the chance to say a loving word, give a hug, or perform a simple loving act to those you cherish.