It's better to be five minutes early, than five minutes late, and that is what makes all the difference.
My dad used to say that phrase all the time, and I have lived by it my whole life. I always showed up for tests early in college, and I make sure that I'm there for people when I promise I will be.
As I was driving home the other day, that phrase got me thinking. I tormented myself over the last couple of years trying to figure out why God took my folks early. I guess its the natural grieving process to question the why and focus your anger on that, but my heart is finally at peace with alot of it. Being angry doesn't bring them back, it doesn't help your heart heal, it just paralyzes you in a state of bitter sadness.
I take the shuttle in the morning into work. It's a quick 10 minute ride, and for a long time it was my most un-favorite part of the day. I would sit in silence and listen to people much older than me complain about taking care of their aging parents. They would talk about what a burden they were, and how annoyed they would get because their parents would call them at all hours of the day just wanting to chat, like they had time for that. I would sit in silence, but inside my head I was thinking, "SHUT UP YOU UNGRATEFUL ASSHOLES, AT LEAST YOU HAVE PARENTS TO CALL YOU". But I'm in a much better place now.
I think maybe my parents were following my dad's rule of thumb. It's better to be five minutes early than five minutes late, and that's what makes all the difference. Yes they both went out with cancer, and alot of it wasn't awesome, but they both left in a good space. Instead of hanging around this earth too long, where they lost their faculties, driving privileges, ability to see, or talk. They were both early in their entrance into heaven. They left this world active, loving their jobs, taking care of their home and yard.
I look at those people on the shuttle differently now. I sometimes think my parents were kind of lucky. They left this world like any smart professional quarterback, they went out on the top of their game, leaving everybody wanting more.
I think my dad would like me ending this post with a football reference. That one was for you dad!
As I was driving home the other day, that phrase got me thinking. I tormented myself over the last couple of years trying to figure out why God took my folks early. I guess its the natural grieving process to question the why and focus your anger on that, but my heart is finally at peace with alot of it. Being angry doesn't bring them back, it doesn't help your heart heal, it just paralyzes you in a state of bitter sadness.
I take the shuttle in the morning into work. It's a quick 10 minute ride, and for a long time it was my most un-favorite part of the day. I would sit in silence and listen to people much older than me complain about taking care of their aging parents. They would talk about what a burden they were, and how annoyed they would get because their parents would call them at all hours of the day just wanting to chat, like they had time for that. I would sit in silence, but inside my head I was thinking, "SHUT UP YOU UNGRATEFUL ASSHOLES, AT LEAST YOU HAVE PARENTS TO CALL YOU". But I'm in a much better place now.
I think maybe my parents were following my dad's rule of thumb. It's better to be five minutes early than five minutes late, and that's what makes all the difference. Yes they both went out with cancer, and alot of it wasn't awesome, but they both left in a good space. Instead of hanging around this earth too long, where they lost their faculties, driving privileges, ability to see, or talk. They were both early in their entrance into heaven. They left this world active, loving their jobs, taking care of their home and yard.
I look at those people on the shuttle differently now. I sometimes think my parents were kind of lucky. They left this world like any smart professional quarterback, they went out on the top of their game, leaving everybody wanting more.
I think my dad would like me ending this post with a football reference. That one was for you dad!
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