Hugh 0ne Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I always try to tell myself that things could be worse. I mean, when the wife, the job, the kids, or other people are pissing you off, or when you run into some financial issues, or some bad luck, things could be worse. The problem is, you tend not to think this way, but it'a all a matter of perspective. I got another sharp dose of that reality today. Over the weekend, a friend I went to high school with died of a heart attack. 36 years old. Gone. Married, 3 small kids. Yesterday, another friend who is married, just celebrated his daughter's 10th Birthday on Sunday, has a 2 year old autistic child, and just bought a new house, killed himself. Drove to work, pulled over, and shot himself in the head. Tonorator, hang in there, things could be worse. And all the best to your MIL, hopefully that all turns out for the best. Az, all the best for you and your soon to be growing famiily. I'm not a crier, at all. When my two boys were born, I cried like Irish at a frat a party. I've never been overcome with emotion like that before, and it was the greatest moment of my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 "The worst is not So long as we can say, 'This is the worst.'" - William Shakespeare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Dang... not an easy week for Huddlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Jack Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Hang in there brother. It sucks to say 'look for the silver lining' but use this time to love on those people that you have, the people you might ordinarily take for granted. These are horrible things but hug those you have and love them that much more. Hopefully that'll give you the strength to push through this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 I always try to tell myself that things could be worse. I mean, when the wife, the job, the kids, or other people are pissing you off, or when you run into some financial issues, or some bad luck, things could be worse. The problem is, you tend not to think this way, but it'a all a matter of perspective. I got another sharp dose of that reality today. Over the weekend, a friend I went to high school with died of a heart attack. 36 years old. Gone. Married, 3 small kids. Yesterday, another friend who is married, just celebrated his daughter's 10th Birthday on Sunday, has a 2 year old autistic child, and just bought a new house, killed himself. Drove to work, pulled over, and shot himself in the head. Tonorator, hang in there, things could be worse. And all the best to your MIL, hopefully that all turns out for the best. Az, all the best for you and your soon to be growing famiily. I'm not a crier, at all. When my two boys were born, I cried like Irish at a frat a party. I've never been overcome with emotion like that before, and it was the greatest moment of my life. Hugh, For what it's worth, I've eaten that sh|t sammich a lot in my life. Do I cry??? You bet your ass! Not for me, but for the circumstances left behind. Be it a suicide (Had that in our family), sudden death at a young age (been there a lot), or just a death of a young ("") person. Yeah, you guys joke about my age, and that's not a problem, but when someone dies at ANY age that you are close to and you weep???? Well..... that's a tribute! At my 40th reunion we had a list of pics of passed classmates. Frankly the list was pretty short. Two I knew well. But MY personal list is a lot longer. I lost my best friend in 1971! He was to be my Best Man at my wedding. My wife wrote the eulogy. I broke up during it more times than I can count. I lost another who was shot outside of a hospital after a fight. Long story. Long story short, the list kept growing. My list is long, but maybe not as long as others, but longer than it should be IMHO. All I know is I cried and cried a lot! FlcUK!!!! I'm getting teary eyed now! This is LIFE!! It's the substance we're made of and have to live thru, I guess. No great quotes, no great philosophies! Tone and Hugh, and anyone else.....Been there, done that! I have an ear for anyone here! YES....ANYONE!!!!! If I can ever be of some help.....Call me or give me your # and I'll call you. I am here! rr26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 lately i truly have come to think of life as moments. moments. one by one, slowly happening one after the other. seeing my boys playing and laughing, smiling at a kind word or a joke, holding my wife's hand. and then i think the same when times are bad, hurting hopefully less and less as the moments pass. good or bad, every moment is a gift. it can always get worse, but the ultimate is not being here at all. my faith tells me there's an afterlife and i certainly cling to that faith, but whatever happens after this life, i know i won't ever again get to enjoy the moments as i have them now. each one spent watching my kids grow up more and more or spent building more and more memories with my wife and family. even during those moments of devastation as i carried my brother's casket or hugged my mom's weak, cancer stricken body, i still had the opportunity to use my moments to comfort others and to be comforted. life is just flat out hard. i think it is somewhat of a miracle that we can even stay sane. all around us tragedy is striking and more is lurking around the corner. a glance at that world clock shows the tallies of how many souls around the world are dealing with the unimaginable. yet, in the face of all that, we go on here on this floating rock that seems to be perfectly suited to house us and allow us to experience both the highs (crying at that bedside as that new life is brought into the world) and the lows (crying at that gravesite as another life is taken out of the world). controlled insanity, guided by faith. faith in something we don't understand, but based in an underlying belief that there exists something greater than ourselves. with or without that faith, the moments continue to pass, and i try to remember that it is a blessing to experience each one. those passing away close to us remind us more than anything how precious each one truly is. hang in there hugh. hard this week as jackie is gone again, up in cleveland to be with her mom as they insert her port and start radiation. long days here getting the kids off to school, heading to work, hurrying to get home so they are not alone for too long, going through the nightly routine with them (dinner, homework, cleaning, prayers), and then having a few moments to myself before collapsing (spent typing to mostly people i've never met). i have no idea how single, working parents do it day in and day out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Dang man. Sucks plain and simple. All I can offer are prayers and peace to those families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montster Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 I always try to tell myself that things could be worse. I mean, when the wife, the job, the kids, or other people are pissing you off, or when you run into some financial issues, or some bad luck, things could be worse. The problem is, you tend not to think this way, but it'a all a matter of perspective. I got another sharp dose of that reality today. Over the weekend, a friend I went to high school with died of a heart attack. 36 years old. Gone. Married, 3 small kids. Yesterday, another friend who is married, just celebrated his daughter's 10th Birthday on Sunday, has a 2 year old autistic child, and just bought a new house, killed himself. Drove to work, pulled over, and shot himself in the head. Tonorator, hang in there, things could be worse. And all the best to your MIL, hopefully that all turns out for the best. Az, all the best for you and your soon to be growing famiily. I'm not a crier, at all. When my two boys were born, I cried like Irish at a frat a party. I've never been overcome with emotion like that before, and it was the greatest moment of my life. this goes along with tonorator's thread, too. about two months ago i found out a good friend had died. i knew him at the end of high school and we were roommates in college. he was this totally unmotivated slacker in college. we lost touch a few years after graduation, and then i find out he married his college girlfriend and had two kids, and he was in the air force. we saw each other quite a few times and my wife and i even stayed with them when he was stationed outside of venice. in august he flew to portland, oregon for his best friend's wedding. a few days before the wedding he rented a car and drove to a remote part of a national forest where people go to hike. he never showed up for the wedding. after a week, some hikers found his car and called it in. a few hours later they found his body. i still don't know the details of his death -- he was military-trained and served in iraq and afghanistan, so it didn't make much sense. i flew to phoenix for his funeral. i found out he was up for promotion to major. at least a half dozen times it was all i could do not to break down -- the only reason i didn't was because i knew i wouldn't be able to stop. when i think about his two young kids and those airmen folding up the u.s. flag and presenting it and my friend's medals to his widow, i still get choked up. that's awful about your friend, hugh, and your mother in law, ton. this stuff is never easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Hang in there Hugh and hang in there Tonorator ..you have friends and good support systems ..Keep the faith and i do believe Each day is a gift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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