A Thirty-ninth Anniversary

Yesterday was the thirty-ninth anniversary of an event that forever changed my life and the lives of my entire family. A tornado ravaged our vacation site near Outing, Minnesota taking the lives of my mother and two of my nieces. My best friend's mother and grandparents were also swept into eternity by the violent winds. In all, seven in our group lost their lives that day. The rest of us involved were saved by the water. Our cabins were thrown into the lake, broke apart and scattered, but the water provided a safety cushion for most of us.

Having survived such a tragedy, one would hope that the new perspective on the fragility of life would remain - that one would cherish life and loved ones and friends so much more keenly; that the idea of taking people for granted would be a foreign one. However, life moves on...no, it charges on, memories fade, feelings change. I'm wondering today that perhaps I need to revisit those perspectives once again and begin to cherish afresh. And so I will.