Still in My Arms

The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of ‘Cat,’ and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. “I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,” she said. “I think that’s what he would have wanted.” - Todd Heisler- The Rocky Mountain News

This is such a sad photo. The caption doesn't say it, but she's pregnant in this photo too. The article accompanying it is equally as riveting a read. It appeared in my hometown newspaper as few months ago and seemed fitting to share on Memorial Day.

I know, I know. I said I would be positive in this blog but I think it is important to acknowledge the very real, very sad realities of wars. After saying my prayer for this woman and her baby, I felt so lucky that everyone I love, including my husband, are still in my arms.

What these precious pre-deployment months have really triple reinforced in me is that time is too precious to waste waiting for "the right time" to say something or to be prideful about showing someone how you feel. It's too short to hestitate until it feels like "the perfect time" to do something (have a baby, get married,etc.). We just aren't given enough breath to stay angry, be crabby, or sullen or get mad over inconsequential things. Even if we are not a soldier, we can all disappear from the earth in an unexpected flash of time. We don't have enough opportunity to show people how much we love them or to tell them how nice it is to do such a simple thing as to sleep next to them at night.

What am I learning from this?

That life is still in my arms. Life on this earth is to be embraced with BOTH arms for every precious, tender moment that it offers us back. Every breathe of life and every moment we have to breathe it, is worth diamonds.