Life Continues

The world doesn't stop when life does...

...The sun still rises and the people around you continue on their way to work, to school, the grocery store, wherever they are going they still go.

I traveled many miles Thursday night and well into Friday day, and spent the majority of that time reflecting on life.  The lives of those who have already gone, the lives of the family and friends around me, and the lives of strangers that I pass on the streets. 

I began to think about the people we passed along the road and met in the convenient store...What's going on in their lives.  Are they happy?  Are they sad?  Are they heading to work or perhaps to the grocery store, or like us, are they traveling a road they do not want to travel? 

The convienent store clerk smiled and asked the standard question, "Hi, How are you?"  Through a broken smile, I replied the standard answer, "Good, and you?"  It was a lie - None of us were good.  We put on a smile while our hearts were breaking.  The clerk didn't know why we were there that day or what we were going through.  Just as we didn't know what was going on behind the clerk's smile.

During our drive, there were times where every sound around me disapeared; and it felt as if I was alone. It was just me sitting there in the passenger seat looking at road ahead. I thought for a moment about the grass, the hills, the trees and every piece of nature that surrounded us. All of it was beautiful. I wanted the truck to stop. I wanted time to stop, I wanted to sit in the green grass and feel the breeze on my face. I wanted to feel a peace, a happiness, but we continued down the road. With each mile we become closer to a reality I did not want to face. 

Life continued around us.  The clock kept switching to the next minute.  The miles in front of us became the miles behind us.  We knew that when we arrived home there would be more tears and more pain, but we continue to drive. 

In my mind, I have an image.  It's of a One-of-a-Kind smile looking down at us from Heaven and I can hear the words, "Well, We'll see you later, babe." 

Ronnie, you will be missed.