A Sad Welcome Home

I had this day planned out. I was finally home, back to high speed access and only two children, who could run wild while I blogged and posted vacation pictures. Unfortunately, the call came late last night. I expected the call but I thought it would be later in the week. My aunt had finally died of cancer.

She learned in April that she had a "recurrence." You look for answers - she wasn't a smoker or a drinker. She didn't lead a danger life with exposure to cancer causing materials. She was neither young nor old. She was just a recently retired school teacher who lived her life in the area where she'd grown up. She wasn't perfect - there were strained relationship and old hurts that even impending death could not heal.

What no one told her back in April was that death doesn't come easily. She suffered - a lot. She was conscious and aware most of the time. One day recently she confessed that she never thought dying would be such hard work. Cancer sucks.

So today, I am reminded to get off my ass and enjoy my life because there are no guarantees that tomorrow will be easier or better. In fact, there are no guarantees, you will have tomorrow.