Awareness

In the process of working the steps, I've realized - again - that one of the things I find my self regretting over and over is how I've treated people when I'm not conscious of reality. It's not that I treat people really badly, but I could certainly do better. Reality is - all of us are just a breath away from leaving this planet. We have no idea whether this interaction we are having with someone will be the last one because we die or they do. Of course, no one wants to keep this in mind. The only reason I am able to keep this fact in mind is that I've experienced the sudden and unexpected deaths of two of my children and my husband.

Death in our society is a taboo subject (and a taboo thought, apparently). BUT it IS a reality. My newest effort is to try to remember this - especially when I'm interacting with someone with whom I consistently get irritated. I could be at their funeral some day and sit there wishing I had treated them better.

Funerals are funny in an ironic sort of way. We say all kinds of sweet things about people after they're gone and we're missing them terribly. We long to see them again so we can tell them how much we love them and how wonderful we think they are. Of course, it would be a lot better if we told them all this while they were still alive!