A Monumental Day

Today was a Monumental Day because my Sister Pam graduated from Western Michigan University with her Bachelor's Degree. I am SO proud of her! She has worked incredibly hard for this day! She works full time, is a wife and a mom and was going to school 3 nights a week. It makes me tired just thinking about it! She drove from St. Joe MI to Kalamazoo MI for many of her classes too! A year and a half ago, even with all that was already on her plate, her son Trey had open heart surgery. She's been through a lot to get where she is today!

I shed quite a few tears at Commencement today. Tears of joy, tears of pride, and bittersweet tears that someone was missing from this monumental celebration. When they asked for the parents of the graduates to stand up, my Mom stood up. Something was wrong with this picture. Dad should have been standing up with her, but he wasn't. Anyone who has lost a loved one knows that these waves of emotion, feelings of loss and heart ache, come and go. As time goes on (it's been 9 1/2 years already!) those times get fewer and farther between, but they never go away. Loved ones are never forgotten, especially on monumental days such as today. I know it's natural and human for me to have these feelings. It's ok! Dad would have been so proud of Pam and all that she has accomplished. I know how proud he was to see me graduate!

The truth is, death is not natural. God never intended for things to be this way. I'm so glad He chose to send His only son so that one day we will all be reunited in heaven and will never again have these "waves" of heart ache and grief for someone who is missing from the picture.

Congratulations Pam! :) I'm proud of you and I know Dad would have been so proud of you too!