Recently it seems as if I read or hear too often stories of the deaths of young people. Babies, young children, teenagers, young adults – taken way before their time. Or that so it seems. I think you can choose to look at it two ways. One way would be that they were taken too soon. Before they were able to become the adults they would turn out to be. The other way would be to look at it like they left us when did because they had already finished their work.

So how can you wrap your arms around a young baby with a chromosome defect that lives only 90+ days having completed their time on earth. You look at the big picture. What a blessing he was to his parents and their family and friends. The message of love and living one day at a time could have been his work. I don’t see how you could look at it any other way and survive it. Move on from it.

Then there are the young children who have died a violent death by a sinister person. I can’t possibly even go there. But somehow their deaths may have saved someone else’s because someone heard their story and changed the way they let their kids play or where they let their kids go. Again I say I don’t see how you could look at it any other way and survive it. Move on from it.

Teenagers, such as my daughter Brittany, who had their whole future ahead taken before they had a chance to make their mark on society. But were they? How do we know? I can only know from my own personal experience that my daughter’s life and what impact she had on others will live on forever in the minds and hearts of those who knew her. I think that has to be true for other teens too. Again I say I don’t see how you could look at it any other way and survive it. Move on from it.

The lesson here is too look at the blessings given and not the loss itself. To see the time they were here as a message that we have yet to understand. I can only hope parents will be able to see that message and what it was that brought their children here in the first place and the hope of seeing them again in Heaven.

I have no doubt that my daughter Brittany is in Heaven and I will see her again one day, when my purpose has been fulfilled. In the meantime I’ll keep trying to live the life that God wants me to live. A life of love, respect, honor and extent the hand of God to others.

When my day comes, please rejoice in that I have fulfilled my purpose and have moved toward the better half of my life. Until then, I’ll keep rockin’ it out and livin’ life out loud.

Until next time,

m