Love

Hubbys' parents came by for a visit this morning. It was so great to see them. His mom, aka Nana, has been in Michigan helping her Mom with the loss of her Dad for the past few weeks. It is a hard thing to know that someone you love suffers and harder still to have them gone, but Nana is a strength to her family and now we must be a strength for her.
I am having a hard time writing tonight. I have a heartfelt post I want to write and I hope it comes across as such. Here goes. I try to avoid the news because so often it just ends up breaking my heart. Tonight I finally started reading stories and looking at the pictures coming out of Japan. I don't know how to even comprehend the total loss that these families, these friends, these fellow human beings are having to deal with. With so many disasters on Earth in the past few years, it really puts things into perspective. These are some of the lessons I am trying to take away from it all.
First: Love. Love your family and show them every day just how much they mean to you. Love your friends and be appreciative of the time they give you. Love your neighbor because you never know when you might need to lean on each other. Love strangers for no other reason than that they are on this Earth at the same time as you, struggling and learning their own lessons. Just love.
Second: Material objects don't matter. In the blink of an eye, it can all be gone. Be comfortable in your own home, but remember that ultimately what is hanging on your walls or sitting on your shelves doesn't matter. What matters is life experience and what we do with the time we have here on Earth.
Third: Be prepared. What we hear time and again is how people look for water and food and medical supplies. Try and be as prepared as possible by storing your own food and supplies. Again, it could all be gone in the blink of an eye, but if it isn't, you will be so much better off. And you may be able to help others in need.
Fourth: Learn how to take care of yourself off the land. Learn one thing wholeheartedly. Be as self sufficient as you can. Anyone can garden. Anyone can learn CPR. Anyone can take basic classes to learn how to do anything. Anything. Learn and then practice what you learn.
Fifth: Remember that if all else fails, I will be here loving you from afar.