Life Is Precious

Today Emma turned 2 weeks old and attended her first funeral.

We didn't know the deceased well. She is a neighbor that we got to know after their home was broken into this past winter. We actually know her husband much better since he seemed to be the more outgoing of the two.

The real tragedy is that she was only 33 and the death was unexpected and quite sudden. She complained of chest pains and not feeling well on Tuesday evening, so her husband took her to a walk in clinic just down the street. The doctor examined her and felt she was having a heart attack. He went to get the paperwork started for an ambulance to take her to the hospital. While he was out of the room, she went into cardiac arrest and died with her husband and seven year old daughter sitting there right next to her. They still transferred her to the hospital, but there was nothing that could be done for her.

As expected, the funeral was sad. Her husband and daughter seem to be in a state of denial. Both seemed in good spirits and they have lots of family and friends by to offer them a lot of love and support. Even so, it is hard to think about that little girl growing up without her mother.

I cradled my own little girl, so sweet and brand new, and thought about the grief that this woman's mother must feel. You don't expect to bury your own child. I thought about my own mortality and the possibility of not seeing my babies grow up. It was ironic holding the beginning of life at a ceremony honoring someone whose life had just ended. It was a reminder that life is truly precious and to make sure that those around me know how much I love and appreciate them.