Life Needs Some Tour Guides

Everyone has their own perspective about relationships, commute times, how to raise your kids etc, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that when you lose a loved one- everyone deals with that in their own way. But from my recent experience, have to say, after laying the cards out on the table...and explaining to longtime colleagues the way it all went down for mom- it's amazing the reactions I got- everything from "sounds like she was full of life and an amazing woman, I'll remember this conversation when I lose a parent" to "oh please let God pick that exit strategy for me too- she's lucky" to "zero pain, that's the real blessing"- it just amazed me how many could totally relate- and not just that- actually comment on what an amazing person she must have been. These people have never met mom, yet someone commented that if she was doing exactly what she wanted to be doing the day she passed away- she wasn't bogged down with medications and the like- God was kind. Never thought about it that way. But- I will always reference and remember the classmate who told me at Mom's memorial that Mom ran out into the parade while he was on his Harley and gave him a big hug that Sunday afternoon. Not even sure who that guy was- but it proves Mom was serving her community, celebrating life and that was important to her. One of my colleagues I shared mom's story with is the same age as my parents. He said he just wants to show up everyday and live life, and worries (at his age) what might happen to him and how it might go down. He gave his condolences to me about mom and said, "in a way, its an uplifting story to me at my age, doing what she loved to do, plus it being instant and pain free." That's perspective. And it's something I need to hear. He said, "Glad I could help, this life needs some tour guides" and I agree.