Last year, I purchased a extra Valentine’s Day card for my mother because I assumed she would be here so why not be practical and be proactive for next year.

Silly, I never imagined my mother had other plans! My mother passed away on April 26, 2014 and my world instantly changed. Nothing is quite the same! Death is a beast sometimes! Although, I had experienced death really close before, this for me was on a whole new level. It felt like the world stopped and everything shifted into an order of importance.

My mother passed away at the age of 69. Dorothy Mae was healthy and simply died in her sleep. For years, my mother would always say, I want to go first and in my sleep. Well unfortunately, for me she got her wish! My mother was everything to me and one of my greatest cheerleaders! My mother understood me and I could always go to her for anything! She knew how to solve any problem and what she couldn’t fix, we knew to solve it with prayer!

Last year was so hard for me and my mother because we both experienced many losses in the past few years! So many that we almost became numb. My mother was the anchor as usual and the first to say life goes on and get over it Sharon!

She would say do something for you and get out of that house. Just the week before, I took my mother’s advice! We had the best time of our life! I took her on a shopping spree and got her a no chip manicure. If I only knew, that would be our last girls day!

After all is said and done, I feel very thankful. It’s a blessing to know love so closely for 43 years! Always receiving me with a smile and a word. Not many in the world can say that! I learned from my loss, that each day is special. No need to wait for a holiday to say I love you! Everyday 6ft up is grounds for a celebration! If you love someone tell them, show them and spend some time with them.

Learn from me, people die and leave off schedule and even when they are not sick. So if we all treat each day, like it’s our last, we will have a better quality of life and live to the fullest!

Love hard and pick your audience carefully!

Be thankful everyday and know God is always in control. Love never dies and is the only gift that can transcend heaven and earth. As long as our loved ones legacy is kept alive through us, their spirit lives on through us!!!