Love and Appreciate Your Family

Today my husband and I went to a Communion. Our friend's father was recently diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his brain. As I was sitting at the table mingling with others, I found myself turning towards the table where my friend's father was sitting. He looked weak and a little out of it as everyone was taking turns giving him hugs, kisses, and whispering things to him to try and make him smile. You would have thought he was a celebrity by the amount of photos that were taken of him. First they took a photo of him and his wife, then they added his three children, then the grandchildren, and then anyone else who could be squeezed into the frame. My friend made a couple of runs to the restroom to let out a good cry, then fixed her make up and walked back out like she had just arrived to the party.
I'm the one who cries at Hallmark commercials, old photos and movies, and tears usually run down my face when I'm listening to friends tell me about things that they're going through that's upsetting to them. However, I sat there with a smile on my face as I watched all the love that was surrounding this man. It was priceless. It was almost as if the party was for him and not the little boy.
Life goes by so quickly. We often forget how important family and friends are. We take it for granted that we will be meeting up with them at another time. We don't usually wonder what if this was the very last time we're going to see this person. We only wonder this when we find out that someone is terminally ill. Perhaps hearing that kind of news, as devastating as it is to hear it, is a blessing because you get the chance to show how much you love that person more than you ever had before.
With all the aches and pains I get, at least I know that I'm not terminally I'll. What I witnessed this afternoon has made me realize how living with Dystonia isn't that bad. It also made me realize how much I love and appreciate my friends and family!