Up and down and all around

Yesterday started out being sad. We (three friends and myself) were going to a memorial walk for our friend Rebecca Riskin whom we lost in the mudslides. There was a lovely speech by her cousin, Vicki and some beautiful music sung by Karla Bonof. The whole thing was sad but sweet. It was in a park and it was low key and wonderful! Everyone was hugging! Then the four of us walked to lunch and because of how life works, after our stories and tears about Rebecca, we were soon talking about daily silly things.  Of course we will never forget the tragedy of the mudslides or Rebecca but there is a mechanism within all of us that enables us to move on.

Lunch was overlooking the ocean and we held hands for a moment and said how grateful we were to not only be alive but to have our families and each other!
We all  had plans for the summer and would not see each other for awhile  (No, we are not going to Capri this year). We all discussed our travel plans. 

I was getting ready to leave the next day for Tucson where I was asked to be a guest speaker at Canyon Ranch.
Our moods had lifted while we discussed our various plans.
At that point I heard a ting and looked at my text and it was my daughter in Los Angeles reporting that my granddaughter had 102 temperature and was in the hospital having a spinal tap at that very moment!!
Everyone's mood changed  again as we all realized how very fragile life is and how it can change on a dime!
I decided, we  (my husband and myself) would  pack right away and go down that afternoon to stay the night with my daughter instead of just going to the airport the next day for Tuscon.

How very strange and precious life is! We were just reminded again. How meaningful our family and friends are to us and how we should let them know every day!
We hurriedly packed, drove to LA, where we picked up dinner for Tess and Terry and us.
Well, the good news is that Tess only has tonsillitis and just needs some bed rest (what that does to her midterms as a sophomore at Northwestern, I don't know) and we are now on the plane on our way to Tucson!!

It was a double reminder of how fragile we all are, mixed in with some happy bonding with good friends and family.

​Maybe that says it all in a nutshell.

Just maybe, that's what life is about!!