Important Things in Life

Stuff is just not important.  Memories are. 

It was a fast turn from his feeling a little off, and doctors not able to regulate the medication that was helping his illness, to my father in law passing away yesterday.  I think the whole family thought there would be more time, despite the fact that he had beaten most odds from his original heart condition diagnosis 16 years ago.  Still, no one in DH's family, including my own kids were really ready for this.  

DS was able to get home and have some quality conversation, though I think he wishes in the last eight years since he moved from  high school kid to young adult he would have spent more time enjoying activities with his grandpa.  DD#1, even though she saw him a few weeks ago, felt bad that she wasn't here in the end. She landed a few hours ago and is on a errand with a cousin to collect something for the memorial service to be held early next week.  DS won't be able to come back for it. Between the travel costs and the lost income, it was already a stretch to be back this week financially. We will have a celebration of life this summer to return his ashes to the earth, and he is hopeful he can come back then.  Summer time was FIL favorite time and the family lake cabin was his favorite place.  That is where the girls went for their errand.  I am sure they will laugh and cry the whole drive there and back, sharing memories.  

I've written about my clutter problem.  It is more than a problem, it is reaching crisis in some rooms.  I shared that DH comes form a long line of  clutter bugs as well, though with more space and storage into which said items can be stored or displayed.  As much as the clutter stresses me out, when I look around at it, I see a load of memories.  The unhung art work reminds me of the cruise with my whole family- all five of us, and the more recent one celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. The crystal bowls and odd china pieces overloading my china hutch were handed down from both of our grandparents or wedding gifts from aunts and great aunts no longer with us. Stacks of photos that have yet to be organized into albums are evidence of a busy and growing family, fun times with extended family and friends, and our ties to loved ones. 

There will be a lot of tears and hopefully more laughter as we gather the next few days. I'm sure stories of the overfilled cabin garage, the 1/2 basement of additional storage, and wall to wall collectibles and why they were meaningful will be. told. It's not the stuff that is important, but the memories that came along in the package that makes some of the things treasures.