Fully

Sometimes, a step back is what it takes to see and appreciate life fully.

The wind was knocked out of me as I heard the loving and familiar voice of my Ex-Sister-in-law say unintelligible words… “He’s gone Dez.”

Those words just didn’t sit right, let alone make sense.

But they were true…

The past 6 weeks, grief has been a constant companion. Some days the enemy and some days…a friend.

She has brought many tears of sorrow and sleepless nights.

She brought memories with tears of laughter from stories that my siblings and I will keep in the vault.

Grief also brought together a family from around the world to celebrate the loving, fun and adventurous life of my brother.

The most important gift that grief has brought me this time is a reminder…

That she is a companion that we will all at some point or another know and become friends with.

She reminded me that I can resist and stuff it all inside or I can be free, process the thoughts & feelings and grow.

I have been experiencing them both.

I am reminded that life is full of joy, sorrow and I will honor them both.

Leaders… Today is what we have.

In the quest to build and grow our lives, business and future we can miss what is most important…

We can get so caught up in the doing that we forget to reach out and remind those we love that they mean more to us than money ever will.

Sometimes life will knock the wind out of you with sorrow that seems unbearable.

What I would do in the past was work myself to the bone in order to avoid dealing with the hurt.

I’d hide myself in familiar belief patterns that intellectually were right however my heart was rejecting cause life just wasn’t adding up.

I’d hide behind my smile.

Today… I’m grateful for the ability to grieve.

Grief reminds me today that life is for the living and that I get to choose today what today will be.

And when she decides to tap me on the shoulder to let me know that she is still here… I will lean in and be ok.

I believe that fully.

Today… I challenge you to love, live and forgive….fully.

Will you join me in this challenge?