Every loss is a wake up call to the potential we possess to make a difference in the lives of those around us.
For those of you, who like me, lost precious friends this year, here is something to ponder. It was sobering for me 
to admit that even if I had the power to bring them back, I would not because of the joy and wonder of heaven they would be denied due to such selfishness.
Having admitted this, my focus shifted to speculations regarding the interaction between all those I love and value that have gone before me. It made me smile to think of them meeting and swapping notes and sharing stories in heaven much as those of us left behind do. A major difference, however, being their story is written and they have set a bar for us. We have a race to run ever mindful of their example.
I thought about the nature of their legacies. Some have left me cautionary tales, others models of inspiration, recollections of warmth, images of loving expressions, words of encouragement and insight, and most important– an abiding sense that we brought something meaningful and worthwhile into each others life.
Yes, every loss is a wake up call to the potential we all possess to make a difference in the lives of those around us. We can no longer impact those who have gone before us, but we can take what we learned in our times together and use that wisdom to produce high yield investments with eternal value.
Photo by Ken Hughes
The Gathering Place on the Green 