The path on the bus from my home to the train station leads past several tenement buildings and projects. A part of City life is the occasional appearance of memorials for the recently departed. I’m ashamed to say, they are so much so a part of the scenery that while I look at them, I really don’t see them anymore. At least, until this morning.
This morning as I pass, I actually noticed the memorial, this was somehow different and as I looked closer, I understood why. The large portrait was that of a baby. This life could not have been more than a couple of months if I am gauging this infant correctly. Someone lost a baby. Do we even want to go into all the reasons why the younger a life is when it departs from us, the more tragic it seems? No. It just is.
I was conversing with a woman on the train about the frivolity of some of the rich when she jokingly queried “What happens when you’ve been there, done that?” I got the joke of it, I did and I smiled at it, still…
I think of my sons, my friends, others and myself. We spend so much time a’bitchin’ and a’moanin’ about the things we can’t do, the things we want to do, the things we have yet to do. We wrap ourselves in the dreams of the next big adventure we often barely appreciate the act of the things we have done once they become memory. All the things we’ve already done even the truly regrettable ones, we at least got to do them.
So right now, right now, I keep thinking about this newest angel looking down upon us who didn’t get to do anything but brighten someone’s life for the briefest moment in time and think…
“What happens when you’ve been there, done that?” …
…Be grateful.
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Today is Day 23 of the March Slice Of Life Story Challenge.
Come see how others are slicing it up this Friday.
Raivenne-lations 
Initially, I wanted to say preach but I decided to give some real feedback. I love the way you reflected on this small moment in life. I agree that a lot of time we forget about the “right now” moments and focus on the “what if’s.” So many things to be grateful for on the daily.
It is always especially hard when a young person dies, I agree. I think it reminds us in a very real way of our own mortality and the “luck of the draw”. Thanks for giving me pause.
It is sad that these memorials have become so commonplace that we don’t really see them anymore. It is especially sad when someone who has their their whole life to live loses the opportunity to do so. I am grateful for each day I am given. You never know.
I appreciate this post. I was trying to think of more to say, and, really, that’s what it all boils down to. Thank you.