you.....are on my mind


February 24 - yesterday.  Was and is a big date now for the Hardy family.  3 years ago yesterday, my nephew Trevor was killed...   hit by a drunk driver.  He was just approaching his 19th b-day.We gathered last night at his parents, Stephanie and Arwit Dueck to celebrate his life and remember him. It was a great time.  But of course filled with pain as well.  


And today....February 25 is the 11th month anniversary of the death of my nephew Christian, 17 years old...son of my brother Randy and his wife Ingrid.  We are approaching the 1 year in March and part of me can't believe that he has been gone this long. 


For both of these families, they have had to face shocking loss, unbearable grief and the choice of how to now live.  To choose LIFE in the midst of such sadness and loss takes incredible courage and dignity and strength.  To observe this in people you love is truly inspiring.


The question has come to me - how will you then live?  How will we all live?
There is a quote by St. Irenaeus that has come to reside deep within me - 


'The glory of God is a human being fully alive'


To be fully alive is perhaps the best answer I can give....to choose to be present, to choose life, to choose gratefulness, to choose to take risks in following dreams and passions...to fully live....is how I can say to these two boys I love.......Trevor & Chris.....you are on my mind