Tales from the Yellow Bungalow: Three Years

Three years. . . sometimes it seems like a million years ago, and then at other times just a moment ago. Three years ago my family learned a few life lessons at the hands of a tragedy. We learned about being grateful for the things in life that really matter and to learn to see silver linings in the moments that seem the darkest of dark.  We learned that some things that we are sure we can't live through only make us stronger and that no matter how bad this moment feels, others have faced moments far worse.  We learned that struggles to overcome sometimes take a while but in the end the lesson from the journey and the fight make us better and stronger people. I can't say that I would want to go through it again, but I am not sure I would un-do it if I could.  I wonder sometimes if some day August 15th will pass with us not giving it a second thought, without one of us remembering what happened on that day in 2006.  In a way I hope that we don't.  I don't want to remember the fear and anxiety but I don't want to forget the reminder to be grateful and to count even the smallest of blessings.  It is so easy to forget those things in the hustle and bustle of daily life. I don't know if most people would consider it a great anniversary to celebrate, but for me, I kind of feel like it should be celebrated.  Although it was an awful event, if it was something that had to happen, it happened in the right way at the right time.  Given a few slight changes, the day would be remembered very differently.  To me, it is a day to remember to be thankful.  It is a day to remember the lessons learned about how quickly life can change, how unimportant stuff of this world is, how kind and brave strangers and friends can be.  It is a day to believe in divine intervention and in the spirit of something larger and greater than me or this world looking over and protecting my family. Most importantly, I want to never forget that in the end you can take away and lose all of the "stuff" of this life.  It is what remains that matters most.