Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Fragile Hold we have on Life

Recently I have been forcibly reminded again of how very fragile life is. A member of a parenting website I have frequented for the last 3 years awoke to find her husband deceased beside her. How on earth can I put into words what a truly devastating, tragic loss this must be? It is not the first. In fact only a week before a young Mum lost her life to an embolism. In the last 12 months two other mums lost their partners under equally as tragic circumstances. One to senseless violence, the other to the farce we call our health system. All gone in the blink of an eye. It could so easily be any of us.



The latest heartbreaking loss was to sleep apnoea, something most treat lightly unaware it can have tragic consequences. One of my close friends in real life suffered an almost identical loss. She awoke to find her otherwise fit 30 something husband lying passed away beside her. Their youngest child was 15 months old, their two daughters were 3 and 4. Sleep apnoea. Snoring. A silent killer, creator of widows and fatherless children.

Today I look at my husband through different eyes. How would I go on without him? He is my rock, my soulmate, the one person I have ever yearned to grow old with. He loves me, flaws and all. And I love him. He is the most incredible father to our 2 boys, and so wonderful with our oldest special child. But like many, I am guilty of taking him for granted. This is not the first time life has booted me up the arse as a wake up call, and yet we seem to drift slowly back into old habits and learn nothing.

Somewhere in Western Australia there is a woman mourning. She will never have the chance to say what was unsaid, to hold her husband close, to laugh and love and live their life. NEVER.



I do not know what my point is here. Maybe it is just hold your loved ones close, tell them all you have been meaning to, stop doing the cleaning/cooking/washing and go sit in the sun and listen to your children's laughter. And when your husband is home, or when you get home, look into his eyes and speak from your heart. Because we are never guaranteed a tomorrow.



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