Love Isn't Love till You Give It Away

After a week like this past one, I don't even know where to begin. There are a million things, a million thanks I would like to share with so many people. How can I though? How can I begin to explain to somebody the depth of my gratitude for loving my brother and trying to lessen the hurt consuming his heart?

The last several days haven't just been about hurting, though. They have also been a celebration and time to remember the wonderful way a beautiful young woman lived her life. I think we could all take some pointers from my sister-in-law, Deanna, and her positive outlook on life. Deanna lived her entire life with Cystic Fibrosis, but the Cystic Fibrosis wasn't her entire life. Deanna didn't sit around waiting to be sick again, or limiting her dreams because of it.

Noah also didn't let Deanna's disease limit his ability to love her. He didn't see the diagnosis as a definition of their relationship. A lot of people might not have been brave enough or giving enough to be able to enter a marriage and know the heartache the future would hold.

I've looked hard for a positive...a silver lining in all of this pain. I think there are a couple. One, Noah and Deanna always knew what tomorrow possibly held, so they got in as much love and living as they could. The reality is, none of really knows what tomorrow holds, so shouldn't we ALL live that way? I don't want to have regrets about things I never did with people or said to people who mean so much to me. I want to truly live my life rather than just get by with the life I have. I want to embrace each moment and celebrate the gifts I've been given.

The other positive thing I took away from all of this was the amount of love shown during the week. The number of people at the viewings was overwhelming, and I could truly feel the love in the room. My brother's friends flew in from Switzerland, California, Canada, Florida, New York...and there are more I'm probably missing. My brother and Deanna are so loved by so many. Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy to see who loves us. It was uplifting for me to be a part of all that love. I believe all that love will carry Noah through the rough times ahead.

I don't know what the weeks, days, hours ahead hold for my brother as he continues the grieving process and moves into the healing phase. I am just grateful to know so many of you will be part of that journey with him. Please continue the prayers, and don't forget to tell the people you love how you feel.