Perspective

My perspective on life changed dramatically this week. In the span of 10 minutes on Tuesday my eyes were opened to a very obvious truth. One that most of us take for granted. Here's how it happened,
In the midst of teaching my 6th graders the wonders of action verbs with a rousing game of charades the beep of the intercom interrupted our class. "Mrs. Anderson you need to answer your phone," the voice said urgently. My stomach got that icky feeling that one gets when they are about to hear something they don't want to hear. I rushed to my phone to take the call. On the other end was Jodi, my dearly loved, daycare provider and friend. She has been part of our lives since before Elijah was born. She was so hysterical I could not understand what she was saying. What I thought I heard was, "I'm sorry, so sorry." My heart was racing as I tried to decipher her words. Finally, it came out, "My niece, my niece, she died." In an instant I could breath again but in the next I realized that my relief was at the cost of Jodi's grief.
Rushing to pick up John and console my friend I left my 6th graders, baffled, with the tech. guy. When I arrived at her house she related the story. Her niece had been feeling feverish and sore, but she had just delivered her second baby a couple of weeks prior, so it didn't seem urgent. She was intending to go to the doctor but never made it. She died in the ambulance. Just like that. She was gone. Forever.
Jodi could not understand what had happened. She was very close to her niece, who was 25. What would happen to her daughters, a 5 year old and a newborn? How would Jodi's sister survive the devastating loss of a daughter?
When I got back to school I felt God pushing a thought into my mind, "You are not guaranteed this day. What are you doing with this gift?" Jodi's niece did not wake up on Tuesday morning knowing she would die. She walked her daughter to the bus, she texted Jodi, she kissed her baby. But, then it was all over. All week I have been thinking about that. What am I doing to show God's love to those around me? Am I taking advantage of the gift of this day? I am certainly not guaranteed even one more hour.
How about you? How are you taking advantage of the gift of this day?