Real.
In the last week I've been reading about sad things.Sad things on blogs.
Sad things that really happen.
People always ask, "who are these blogging people? Do you even KNOW them?"
Not really. But they are real.
Real people.
Real problems.
Real death.
Heartbreaking.
Three children are gone.
I often wish I didn't read what I did.
But it happened.
To someone.
Someone real.
I'm selfish, paranoid, thinking, worrying, about all the signs. What stops it from happening to me, to us?
I over react to all the little signs and symptoms already.
Why does this happen. It's not fair. They were so young. Unborn even.
.
Hug your family tight. Your children tighter.
Life is too short.
February 10, 2009 at 2:52 AM
Hug them, hold them, love them everyday. We never know what tomorrow holds.
February 10, 2009 at 4:06 AM
Things like this help to snap me back into a place of appreciation for those who are in my life now...I too have read the stories, and feel the heartbreak.
February 10, 2009 at 4:20 AM
I.HEAR.YA!!!
I cried all week..my heart felt broken...I would tell my husband and could see the sadness on his face....there are just no words.
And just like you...I'm selfish, paranoid, thinking, worrying, about all the signs. What stops it from happening to me, to us?
I feel the exact same way.
My heart goes out to the 3 families.
February 10, 2009 at 4:21 AM
Yes, You are right. We must treasure every good, quiet, little moment we have with our beloved. They can be over in a second.
February 10, 2009 at 5:13 AM
I totally understand. My heart aches for families who have lost children, and like you, I don't know them, except for their blogs or care pages. The families share so much with "us", that it is hard not to feel connected. Just this week there has been Aiden, Cora, William, Tuesday, and I am sure I am missing others... too many babies. Being in Orlando, today the media coverage is all about the Caylee Anthony memorial, another baby, who one just can't help but feel a connection too. Some are wondering why total strangers would want to attend the service, but through the media, we have lived so much of it since July. It has been on my heart to blog about this exact topic today as well... I just had not collected my thoughts! I am thankful every day for family, and especially for my healthy happy daughter.
February 10, 2009 at 5:27 AM
well said...
February 10, 2009 at 5:54 AM
I agree. It is so hard to read these tales. But I do. And I feel terrible grief for these children and families I have never met.
February 10, 2009 at 5:55 AM
I have caught myself crying or tearing up so many times while bouncing around to the many sites that roll through my screen. And even though I ignore my children regularly to do the reading, I feel like I appreciate them more than ever because of it. Funny how that works, I know.
February 10, 2009 at 5:57 AM
I have cried so much this past week. It makes it so hard, so scary. You see how often these HORRIBLE things are happening to real people.
February 10, 2009 at 6:04 AM
It is so difficult to put a face on things if you are not directly involved. But I know that everybody feels the pain and empathizes when they hear of loss.
Good post,
February 10, 2009 at 6:07 AM
I totally hear you. I can not imagine what these families are going through. Seriously, it's like kids are sick ALL OVER the place. I will hug the kids I know tighter too :)
~Elyse~
February 10, 2009 at 6:12 AM
I feel the same way. I almost wrote basically this same post yesterday. I have actually found it hard to write posts because its hard to write about happy things or silly complaints when there is so much sadness and true difficulty out there. Not to mention that worry about something like this happening to me has nearly crippled me a few times in the last couple weeks.
February 10, 2009 at 6:21 AM
::sigh:: I've had to actually ban myself from reading some of these kinds of posts since getting pregnant. My hormones go beserk and I get all unrationally freak out ish. But my heart goes out to them all the same...
February 10, 2009 at 6:32 AM
I too have read such sadness in the bloggy world...
Life is too short!
February 10, 2009 at 7:06 AM
Sitting here with tears blurring my vision. My heart breaks for these families. I just can't imagine.
I know what you mean about them being real people. I "met" a family through their blog about their 2 yo daughter who had Leukemia. I followed her story for a year and prayed and prayed. And when she died, I mourned as if she were really in my life. You don't have to be able to physically "touch" someone to care.
And as a mother, how can you not mourn for these poor families. Breaks my heart...
And yes, makes me thank God even more for my beautiful babies!!! And even though I'm terrified about something happening to them, I don't let myself have those thoughts - if I did, they would drive me to the brink!!
{{{HUGS}}}
February 10, 2009 at 7:06 AM
Oh, how heartbreaking.
February 10, 2009 at 7:34 AM
I thank God every day for the blessings my family has....because I know that it could change tomorrow!
February 10, 2009 at 7:42 AM
Your exactly right, love more...life is fragile!
February 10, 2009 at 7:50 AM
I agree....and no...it isn't fair
February 10, 2009 at 7:57 AM
Oh I've been in tears over these postings. I can't even believe how these parents can hold it together. I'm a wreck just reading.
Life is too precious. I'm hugging extra tight this week.
February 10, 2009 at 8:13 AM
I can totally relate. I, too, am oftentimes disturbed by what I read. The realness is sometimes too real. The pain, too palpable. And I often wonder, why isn't this horribleness knocking at my door? Why do I get to have a nice little life, a wonderful family and days filled with smiles and with issues that I can handle (mostly, anyway)?
I feel guilty and yet incredibly moved by the stuff that people write--thankful they shared.
Thank YOU for sharing something I've felt for some time now.
February 10, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Dear Jen, Your heart overflows. I agree this past week seems to have been a very trying week of reality. None of it is fair, none of it makes sense on the surface. I can tell you all of this makes us stronger, individually and collectively. It steels us a bit and helps us pick each other up and dust each other off when we stumble or fall, and allows us to move on with the hope and knowledge that we have friends out there who care and have our back when the chips are down.
February 10, 2009 at 9:25 AM
You are absolutely right. I just can't imagine. So, the next time I am complaining that my daughter has a sass mouth - maybe I should be glad that she does.
It's all one gigantic roll of the dice - and for some reason, I keep avoiding the snake eyes.
February 10, 2009 at 9:31 AM
It does seem that there has been an awful lot of sadness going on lately. The only good thing that comes out of it is to remind us to hug our children and be thankful for what we have.
February 10, 2009 at 9:49 AM
I've been in the same boat. Not able to put my finger on it, but just sad and heartbroken for these families.
February 10, 2009 at 10:49 AM
I know... sometimes I need to read other blogs to realize my life isnt as bad as it could be. It humbles me.
February 10, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Blogs have been breaking my heart all week, too. All these babies and families -- it makes me appreciate my problems for how small they truly are.
((Love you))
February 10, 2009 at 11:15 AM
I was just feeling the same way- how sad and depressing. I hope things start getting better around here!
February 10, 2009 at 11:16 AM
I was just feeling the same way- how sad and depressing. I hope things start getting better around here!
February 10, 2009 at 11:16 AM
I was just feeling the same way- how sad and depressing. I hope things start getting better around here!
February 10, 2009 at 11:24 AM
I know it's so sad. I just can't imagine what some of these families are going through.
February 10, 2009 at 11:24 AM
I know it's so sad. I just can't imagine what some of these families are going through.
February 10, 2009 at 12:36 PM
thanks jen, i am going to go and check out the blog, and then give bradley a hug!
February 10, 2009 at 12:41 PM
I feel the same way you do. I always wonder if I am stumbling upon them for a reason to prepare myself for a similar loss. It terrifies me.
These people are real, and it's heartbreaking. I hope our little blogging community offers them the support they need and they don't feel like we all just flock to their own personal drama.
February 10, 2009 at 1:13 PM
I couldn't have said it better. Thanks for the nice post. Real is absolutely right.
February 10, 2009 at 1:55 PM
It's hard to remember that sometimes when you're all alone at your computer desk ~ that these are REAL people that you're reading about. Not only hug em tight, but be thankful for the one's ( people and problems!) you've got because OMG, it could be so much worse.
February 10, 2009 at 2:53 PM
I need that reminder from time to time.
Thanks.
February 10, 2009 at 3:33 PM
What a great post, thank you for reminding me of everything I take for granted.
February 10, 2009 at 3:57 PM
I know exactly what you mean. My heart aches for these families. I cry and I don't even know them...but, it makes me so sad.
February 10, 2009 at 4:28 PM
There are no words for this. I just want a cure. Until then, i have hope.
Beautiful post darling.
February 10, 2009 at 5:03 PM
There is a visitation going on right now for an 11 year old boy in my town who committed suicide.
At the same time, I yelled at my 9 year old that she was driving me crazy and needed to just "get out of my face for a minute."
I hate myself for saying that, and when she gets home from softball, I'll hold her and cherish her, and I'll probably cry.
I just keep praying that somehow we'll all turn out okay. ;)
February 10, 2009 at 6:08 PM
it really was a sad week all around. I know it was for me and read several blogs that had their own suffering.
February 10, 2009 at 7:28 PM
I agree with everything said so far. I read your post first thing this morning, and God has put these families on my heart all day to pray for. That's the beauty of this blog community. It's a crazy, dysfunctional, verbose family!
February 10, 2009 at 7:35 PM
wow. My healthy boy is babbling happily in bed. Mama's gonna go snuggle him for a minute and count my blessings. Those poor families. ;( I cannot begin to imagine their pain.
February 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Yep. I went back and read all their posts and cried. It sorta makes me feel my blog is so uh, trivial - You know? Sigh.
February 10, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Amen to that.
February 11, 2009 at 4:39 AM
ooo I read those stories and wish I hadn't but was glad I did. Those families are in my prayers and I will be snuggling Sammy much closer!
February 11, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Cheaper, this is a great blog! Try to distract a little, not to give advice, but you know.
February 11, 2009 at 11:39 AM
It is funny how real these blogs are. Yes its cyber space and strangers, but I think that is what makes people so open about their emotions and the message so real to the rest of us.
February 11, 2009 at 1:50 PM
My heart has been very heavy lately too. It's been a rough few weeks in our community.
Thanks for the reminder not to take our healthy children for granted...
February 11, 2009 at 5:02 PM
It is real. I'm so grateful to have the blogging world to reach out to people through my trials, and to be able to reach out to other people in their trials. It can be sad. It can be heartbreaking. But it is real, and the way people handle things is admirable. You can't help but think, 'What if that happened to me?' But a friend who went through a terrible loss recently told me she's glad that people think that so they can appreciate what they have even more.
February 11, 2009 at 6:27 PM
So true, Jen...
February 11, 2009 at 7:15 PM
I also have had a hard time dealing with the death of children that I don't know. It is amazing how you feel that you know these people even though you have never met. It has been a sad couple of weeks.
February 11, 2009 at 9:12 PM
This is so true. Thank you for posting this. Jen
February 12, 2009 at 5:05 AM
Very well said... and so very true.
February 12, 2009 at 7:01 AM
Thank you for putting this into words. When I posted this week about my friend's husband losing his fight with cancer, I was so touched by thoughtful comments from people who don't even know my friend, much less know me. I think women always look for ways to connect with each other, and I'm glad we've found yet another way to do that.
February 15, 2009 at 7:23 PM
I agree. Sometimes reading through stories makes me more informed and sometimes it makes me cry, laugh and just feel that connection...good or bad.
Great post...bloggers all certainly have a story to tell.
February 18, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Awe, sounds like you need a hug! :) I like your new Blog header!