DigiScrapChat

Archive for the ‘Scrapable Quotes’ Category

It’s been a truly tragic week for several people I know. 

Of course I’m not personally acquainted with the contemporary Christian singer Stephen Curtis Chapman, but the loss of his daughter Maria hit home, and brought up a few memories of loss. 

Just one day after hearing about little Maria, I stumbled on news of a blogger friend who lost his 18 year old son in a car accident, who was 3 days from his high school graduation. 

And this morning, the phone rang with even more devastating news about more loss.  I can’t even talk about it yet - I’m still in shock, and I want to be careful about what I write because the news is still new.

It’s been almost 15 years since my brother Robert was killed in a car accident.  His death came just 9 months after we lost my grandfather to cancer.  At times, those first few years, the pain was unbearable.  Sometimes now I feel it so keenly, I have to stop and remind myself how much time has passed. 

This next quote is not what I would consider a “traditional” Memorial day quote, but it’s posted in memory…

“The tide recedes, but leaves behind bright seashells in the sand. The sun goes down, but gentle warmth still lingers in the land. The music stops, and yet it echoes on in sweet refrains… For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains.”
- Author Unknown

I don’t presume to know of anything beautiful remaining after the loss of a 5 year old child or the loss of an 18 year old son… but I can sometimes remember, without very much pain, the brilliance that was my brother.  I can bask in the warmth of my childhood memories with him, and know that he is waiting in Heaven.  I can be thankful for the life that Robert DID have, even while I’m feeling angry, alongside my thankfulness, for the life he didn’t get to have.

I will be entering this Memorial Day weekend with much sadness - sadness for those I don’t know but can relate to, sadness with memories of my own, and sadness for those I was only beginning to know but will now have to wait until Heaven to know more fully.

Hold your little ones tight and say a prayer of thankfulness.  Hold you BIG ones tight and say another prayer.  May God bless you and yours this Memorial Day weekend. 

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. 
            ~Joseph Campbell

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood