We all have somebody in our life that holds a special place in our hearts, the person that always had a way of making you feel special, that truly cared about you. The person who we considered to be a pillar of support, a true friend, a ray of sunshine in our life. When we lose this person, we know there will be an immense pain felt. They may have been a parent, a grandparent, aunt, uncle, spouse, sibling or cousin. Whatever the relationship, this person was one of a kind and the kind that rarely exists in this modern world.
This was the person that was adamant about family values, they held the traditions and kept them going. Maybe it was hosting Sunday dinners every week, or making sure the holidays were celebrated with family. Maybe it was the one that loved to drop everything at a moments notice to go on some crazy road trip. You didn’t know where you’d be going, but you just knew when you spent the day with them, you were going to be living life to the fullest. They checked in with you, no matter what the situation was. They were the person that always asked how you’ve been doing and wanted to hear the answer. They were the one that welcomed you into their home no matter what, fed you and then insisted you take the leftovers. The one that shared an awful fate with you and truly understood what it was like. The one that had an answer to every single problem or challenge you were facing; as a mother, a wife, a woman, a disabled person. The one that taught you about strength in the face of uncertainty. The one that taught you not to give a shit. The one that said never do today what you can do tomorrow. They taught you to rely on your faith in times of despair. And they taught you from a young age that you were special.
These people were often referred to as the glue that held the family together; they held you together. They provided stability in a crazy, busy world. Offering a place where the door was always open, where you were welcomed with open arms. Now that they have passed, there is a powerful feeling of emptiness, a longing for those special moments and just one more chance to make new memories.
It is now up to us to keep those traditions alive, to instill the belief in your children that family is everything, because at the end of the day that is all we have. Now more than ever our children need this connection in life to have family, faith, traditions and love.
Going forward, through our grief, we can honor those that have gone before us by taking what we loved most about them and keep it alive within ourselves and our families. Take from that relationship what was so very special to you and pass it on, treat others how they treated you because we really do need more people like them in this world.
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After losing the eyesight in my right eye while attending a minor league baseball game, I became an advocate for safer ballparks across the country. In an effort to raise awareness, I began writing about my experience and what I have learned along the way.
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