Circle of life

The passing of Nana has come at a time when I’ve been surrounded by experiences which remind me of the circle of life.

I spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas in Pittsburgh this past year.

Being in Pittsburgh always used to remind me of my grandma, who passed away almost 3 years ago. Since then, my oldest cousin has had two beautiful children.

Seeing Kelly’s children grow bigger with each passing month amazes me and fills me with incredible joy.

Instead of being reminded of my grandma, visiting Pittsburgh now reminds me of two things:

1. Regardless of age, each of us is always at a different point in our lives. Therefore, we all experience things differently. The way that I experience a loss or a birth in the family is entirely different from the way my mother experiences the same event.
2. Time passes by incredibly quickly. Days turn into weeks in the blink of an eye. Weeks turn into months and, before you know it, years have passed by.

My father shared some insightful words with me when I told him of Nana’s passing.

“You’re getting to that age where this is going to become more routine. I know it’s hard but this is going to be what you experience as you get older. This is life,“ he said.

My grandmother said the same thing and, at the age of 91, she has outlived almost everyone in her close network. “It stings,” she said.

“It doesn’t go away, but the sting dulls because life goes on. You just hold on to the good and throw away the bad…Eventually (after time has passed and you have grieved) all of those good memories bring you nothing but happiness.”

While it’s hard to accept that the people I love most in the world won’t live forever, it’s the reality.

It’s all part of the circle of life and despite the heartbreak, sorrow and loss we are bound to encounter, we have to keep living.