been thinking about the horrible happenings in Connecticut today…  reminded me of how life can change in an instant, and made me think about my own girls…

tonight I have spent considerable time on the phone with Cyndi… we’ve had three of four calls back and forth… we talked about our work day, plans for the weekend, shopping to do, our trip in January, life in general…

It reminded me of the change to our communications since George died…  we would talk every week for sure, often on Sunday when the family would gather here for dinner, but she was busy with her life in BC and we were busy with ours here…

a random conversation this week reminded me of the night George died… I sat beside his body in the emergency room and had to call my two girls to share the devastating news that their dad was gone…

Crystal was first, as she lives here in the city…  thankfully her husband was home with her… after speaking with her and knowing she was on her way, I called Cyndi…

she was home alone, as her husband was away across the country on a training course…  there wasn’t anyone I could call to be with her and I felt awful making the call, knowing she was alone…  we spoke and cried for a while, and then we decided she would come home and she hung up to make the necessary plans…  she tried to reach her husband, but was unable to, and then she tried to book a flight… the weather was terrible and she had to wait for two days to get on a plane…  she arrived from the west and her husband arrived from the east a few days after that…

after she returned home, she began to call me every day, and following my surgery, while I was home recovering, she would call me on her way to work in the morning and on her way home at night… we’d talk about whatever was taking place in our lives at that moment, and remember to say “I love you” during each call…  since I have returned to work she calls daily… if she’s too busy to call I really notice it and miss the connection…

George chatting to one of the girls on his cell phone…

that made me think of my grandmother who was housebound (basically room bound) for many years… my mom would talk with her every day on the phone as well, and I remember thinking that was a “bit much”…  my grandma would also call other “shut-ins” daily to help them keep connected…  I realize now what a life line that would have been and what a gift that she shared with others…

since George’s death I have worked very hard to stay connected and tell those around me how much they mean to me, and remind others to do the same…  life is so fragile and it can change in an instant…