Our mortality

I had my baby sis call me and give me news.  It was sad news.  One of her dear friends from high school passed away yesterday.  She had only weeks before her Wedding Day.  She is survived by a pretty little girl, and a loving Fiance.  She was a choir singer and band member.  Charlie and this gal loved everything about singing, dancing, and music. 
It has been a while since Charlie had seen her, yet there was always FB there to at least get a "Hi"or "Hey" in.  This news shook me baby sis pretty roughly.  It got her down to the core.  It wasn't that she was the best est of friends with this sweet girl.  But just that, that she was a totally sweet girl.  Not deserving of such a short walk on this plane of existence.  I can understand my sister's strife.   How much that can hit home.
Charlie is only a few months away from her own Wedding.  Even just a few short years from starting a family with Kenn.  So many things that they both have been looking forward to as a young couple.
It rocks your little orbit when things like this happen. 
You remember just how truly special and important Life really is.  Its a shock to your system when you realize as an adult that your Immortality has slipped and your just like the rest of the world.  Mortal.
Twice in my Life I have been rocked like this by the passing of two completely different individuals.  I was shaken to the very core of my human soul.  Realization hit me in the face.  First was a co-worker 11 years ago.  He was taken to the Summerlands violently, in his failed efforts to help a family member.  Then, I realized my mortality.  How fast things can change and no longer be what you thought they would be.  I refused to where black to his funeral.  Instead I wore White and Blue.  Pagans wear white to honor the dead.  If there was anyone that needed to be honored that day with this tradition, I was gonna honor him in this way.  He would have understood.
I never saw it coming, how overwhelmed with emotion I would be in a Catholic church and have the sorrow of loss over come.  Trav and I sat at the very back, I wept like he was my only brother.  As Trav held me close, we looked up to see others from work in the same state.  People who were much closer to him that us, overcome as well with the loss.
I realized that day I would have to start living Life much more happy.
The second time I was taken to me knees with heartache was just two short years ago.  Way back in the day I dated the sweetest kid.  Younger than me by a year, we had no idea what this dating stuff was about, but we stumbles through this crush and had quite a few funny and sweet moments.  I got to know his family.  His older sister looked out for me at the high school.  His mom and dad were so helpful im getting us to functions and taking time out of their day to give us rides, take me home safely after functions.
The day before my family left the Philippines, Him and his parents came to Manila to see us off.  I was taken aback by the kind of support that this family had for one an other, it was obvious they would do anything for each other.  I didn't have that kind of a family.  As the kids, we did what we were told and asked for nothing extra.  We were grateful to get what we could, again ask for nothing.
That his parents would make the trek with him to let him see me one last time, I was humbled, shocked, grateful and really out of sorts.
Over the years I would think about that family, and as I became an adult, I realized just how much that family really cared and respected each other.
I had just had the chance to reconnect with his sister on FB.  SO, happy to be in the loop again with this amazing family.  I had heard he had married, had two beautiful girls, and was going on at least fifteen years of service in the Marine Corps.  So happy to hear!! He had found his Happy Ever After too!!
Then the news came of his fight for his life in the VA hospital and his untimely and all way too soon passing.  I. was. devastated.  
For him sure.  But for who was left behind, SO much more.  That family was tight.  Him with his immediate, but him with his siblings and parents also.  None of them deserved such a loss. 
Even still as I write this the air gets sucked out of my lungs and tears form on my lower lids.
Life has no promise of forever.  As I have emotionally witnessed with these two passing. 
I make myself important enough to wake and realize that everyday is a sweet and generous gift.
I hope that Charlie will be able to take that from her loss.