Life has to keep going.

Being Jewish, a wake is not something I need to attend often. When someone passes away, the funeral takes place as quickly as possible. The the family spends up to a week sitting around at home with guests coming to visit and eat (sitting shiva). While I am not saying that there is right or wrong way to do things, this is just what I grew up with.

I have been extremely blessed in life to have most of my close family still alive. When I was born, I had 3 great grandparents alive and all of my grandparents (all 6 of them, since I include my sister's family). In fact, up until pretty recently, my niece was the 5th generation of woman alive. Nana Madeline, Grandma Arlene, My Mom, My Sister, and My Niece were all alive at the same time. Lauren was lucky enough to have had a great great grandmother!

And thankfully, until later in my childhood, death and funeral was not a big part. Not to head into the morbid...but the first wake I ever attended was my great grandfather. I remember that we saw him for Christmas Eve when I was little, and that was his last day, He was from the small part of the immediate family that was not Jewish, so there was a wake. My dad made sure that I experience the entire thing, including walking up close to the casket. It was many years before I had to do this again.

Why all of the back story? Today I went to a wake, and it hit close to home. It was for the father of a teacher in my school. She is a year younger than me, and she is in a very similar place in her life as I was a year ago. She is engaged and just bought a house. Her father was fine one day, and then went to the doctor and found out he had cancer and was given between weeks and months to live. I have learned in the past year how quick this can happen. Last year was our secretary. Seeminly healthy people who have no idea that they have only months to live.

Life is a scary thing. And seeing death always gives a new appreciation to life.

And now back to my regular happy posts.