My Last Name.....

I just got home this evening from a five day trip to Mississippi. Mississippi is where my dad grew up and where the majority of his family lives. I always enjoying spending time there because they are "my people." I share a last name with most of them. And I look like a majority of them too. That side of my family definitely can't deny me!

The reason for this visit is that my aunt Sue passed away this past Friday. So I drove down and spent time with my family until after the funeral today. My aunt Sue was the youngest of her seven siblings. They are: Margaret, Ann, Jr, Pete, Ronnie, Bobby (my dad), and Sue.

It was just two years ago (all within 6 months) that we lost my grandmother, my cousin Floyd, and my aunt Barbara. It seems like there has been a lot of loss in our family in the last bit. And mostly all unexpected (with the exception of my 91 yr old grandmother).

As I was beginning to process the possible death of my aunt Sue last week (from the time they found her until she passed was only about 7 or 8 hours), my first thought was "why another death in our family?" And very quickly I realized why.

See I come from a very large family on my dad's side. There were 7 children, 21 grandchildren, over thirty great grandchildren, and a few great great grandchildren. With our family being so large and full, there are more of us for things to happen to. We have been blessed to have such a large and loving family. So when things happen it seems to hurt even worse because we are such a loving family. And it seems like things keep happening, but there are so many of us. (I feel like I am not explaining this well at all)

Thinking of how blessed we are in number and love doesn't make the sting of loosing someone less. But for me at least, it does help remind me that this isn't something that my family is being punished for or did wrong or anything like that. It's a part of life and the more people around you the more you experience this aspect of life.

If you have a moment this week, feel free to say a prayer for the Taylor family. As our family grieves the loss of a mother, sister, aunt, cousin, grandmother, friend, etc we will gladly welcome any prayers offered. I think returning to normal life is often the hardest aspect of loosing someone. When you have to step back in to the world and realize that it kept going while your entire world stopped for a few days, it's a little hard. As moments come up when you think of or wish to talk to the one you lost, it's never easy. So if you have a moment, say a prayer.

Until then......