This weekend, our family saw the passing of two dear friends at very different points in their lives.
One was a beautiful, gregarious, young mother. She was wed to one of the most impressive and handsome young men we grew up with. They looked the part of a perfect couple. They married, had three kids. Then a few years ago, she was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 cancer and given months to live.
The other was at the logical end of his life's story. Despite tremendous challenges of war, health and loss, he became wildly successful. He was married for well over 50 years. He was 87 and had escaped death many times. But advanced Parkinson's made it difficult for him to walk and use his hands and arms effectively. Nonetheless, his mind remained sharp. While his disease slowed his speech, his insights were always of tremendous value.
Both friends carried themselves with poise and fineness, so unless you knew of their challenges, you might envy their blessings. Both had incredible attitudes towards life and shared their love and kindness until the end. Both of them beat the odds, over and over again. Both of these dear people have incredible families who have loved them, cared for them, supported them in sickness and health, poverty and wealth, in life and in death. Yoni and I know that if nothing else, our future is uncertain. But I am so deeply grateful for the example of these beautiful families because it reminds me that when everything else is stripped away, when you have love, you have the only thing that really matters.
One was a beautiful, gregarious, young mother. She was wed to one of the most impressive and handsome young men we grew up with. They looked the part of a perfect couple. They married, had three kids. Then a few years ago, she was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 cancer and given months to live.
The other was at the logical end of his life's story. Despite tremendous challenges of war, health and loss, he became wildly successful. He was married for well over 50 years. He was 87 and had escaped death many times. But advanced Parkinson's made it difficult for him to walk and use his hands and arms effectively. Nonetheless, his mind remained sharp. While his disease slowed his speech, his insights were always of tremendous value.
Both friends carried themselves with poise and fineness, so unless you knew of their challenges, you might envy their blessings. Both had incredible attitudes towards life and shared their love and kindness until the end. Both of them beat the odds, over and over again. Both of these dear people have incredible families who have loved them, cared for them, supported them in sickness and health, poverty and wealth, in life and in death. Yoni and I know that if nothing else, our future is uncertain. But I am so deeply grateful for the example of these beautiful families because it reminds me that when everything else is stripped away, when you have love, you have the only thing that really matters.
