Today I received an email greeting on Facebook from a peer who lived near our childhood home. I did not know this girl but she knew of me. The interesting thing is that she found me in the enormous vast land that is cyberspace. In her note she asked how my brother is. In any circumstance the question of family well being is common but this simple sentence stopped me and brought me in the moment. Like many others busier than I, my mind was reading her note and without warning I was also mentally drafting a grocery list. That was, until "that sentence". At that very micro-moment I returned to the present and informed her of my brothers fate. Anyone who has lost knows that to speak or write such words are done so with a heavy heart. But in contrast I explained that in that second when my brother exhaled his last breath and met his maker, I received a magical gift. Odd isn't it. One's loss is a gain for another. That moment defined me as much as genetics defines the color of my eyes. It was at that moment I realized how precious life is. The grandest gift. After all the tears I vowed to not surrender to fear, live in grace, see the world and all it's beautiful people and LIVE BIG ENOUGH for the both of us.
So to you my childhood neighbor, I thank you for bringing me back to the present and for reminding me of my vow. The gift you gave me today was that of self reflection. Looking back, I have lived BIG ENOUGH for the both of us! I'm not done. There still are people I must love and things to see and learn.
Chris, hang on, stick with me and lets go!
