Love, Death, and Family

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. (attributed)

- Pericles

Death is a peculiar thing. It makes one see what is around them,  It causes anger, sadness and questions. It can also bring a sense of understanding.

Family holds a dear spot to ones heart, mine especially. I often think of family members even if it those that I don't see all to often. Or scarcely. Our lives are intwined from the moment we are born weather we speak to each other or never knew each other had existed.

Family is a group of related individuals.

I write these things because I learned of the death of a cousin of mine Mackenzie Stuart. I have only met her once and it was probably close to ten years ago when we had a week long family reunion in Branson, Missouri. I believe we are third cousins. Yet family is family and I am deeply saddened by the loss of her to our family, I'm sure those who knew her best will speak wonderful things about her for a long time and those of us who didn't will cherish her memory through these other people. I hope those that were close to her take deep breaths as they expereience  the pain of losing someone they loved so much and fine encouragement to keep living day by day minute by minute.

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master; grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.


Tell the people you love you love them, love yourself, and love the things around you that might not seem worth loving.

I love the Lord and I love you.