Bad week

It was a week of deaths in my circle and I am still thinking about it.

Last week, my friends lost not one but TWO members of their musical family.  Ernie Cruz Jr drowned and two days later his brother succumbed tho the illness that had him in hospice.  I cannot imagine the paint hat family is going through.  My friends are devastated.  How do you help someone who has lost two people in such a short time?

On Friday morning, I checked in with the family of a childhood friend of my sister's, Greg Bell, who had become a nominal Facebook friend.  He had had a stroke and his nephew said that the surgery was a success and they were just waiting for him to open his eyes.  I came home before going to my meditation group to find he had unexpectedly passed away.  It hit me hard, not because we were ever great friends, I was the "little sister' and barely tolerated by my sister's very cool friends; but the last time I saw him he gave me that megawatt smile and a big hug, as if he were truly glad to see me.  I believe he was.  NO artifice about him.  He was a talented musician and the tributes that are pouring in make me think about a few things:

• Tell someone NOW how you feel.  Don't wait until they are gone to post a heartfelt letter they will never read.
• Do something nice for someone, just because you can.  A smile and a thoughtful word go a long way
• Time is precious and as the song that popped into my head after I heard the news says "From Moment to Moment your life can change."  It's a cliche. but cliches are cliches because they are often true, that nothing is guaranteed us, except possibly this moment in time.  Make the most of those moments

At my Angel Circle, which is what my meditation group focuses on, a few people told me that Greg was there.  They did not know him, but I am sure he stopped in so that I could tell a few of his friends he wanted them to know he had made it to the other side.  He's ok and says you shouldn't worry.  I read a quote from him , talking to a friend about looking forward to that adventure, as if he knew what was coming his way.  I took comfort in it.  I firmly believe in angels, and if you don't. more's the pity. I believe we are made up of energy and our energy goes on to a different level when we leave the shell we call our bodies.  Call it heaven, call it the next realm,  whatever.  We go somewhere when we 'die" in this world and I find comfort in knowing that this friend is at peace.