I decided to combine the QOTWN’s with incYourself’s year anniversary contest = $50 Gift Certificate to iTunes. So, you don’t have to necessarily comment back with a quote to get thrown in the contest mix… just tell me something nice. A story. Or perhaps a joke. It will be a random drawing (I’ll write the names of who enters, and draw them out of a hat or something.)

Today also marks the five year anniversary of my brother’s passing  ** where did the 5 years go??** He would be 33 this year. Every year that passes, I feel a new level of emotion. This year it’s a deep sadness. The kind that hurts your stomach. I also think it has a lot to do with how emotionally spent I feel. Things have been changing ever since we transitioned to a new year, which is a good thing – but it catches up with you eventually. Thank Buddha I meditate!! But it got me thinking of a quote I heard on Six Feet Under (my all-time favorite TV show.) It was a conversation Ruth had with Nathaniel’s spirit (they were married and he died in a car crash.)

Ruth Fisher: Why do people have to die?  Nathaniel Fisher: To make life important.

How true – - so very true. If David wouldn’t of died, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Our family would be at that same daunting place we were years ago – religion always silenced the Family table. Everybody was too afraid to say anything for fear of the wrath of God. And I would still be traipsing about searching for happiness – it forced me to do some serious soul searching. And guess what, it was all inside of me. DUH!  I also know I would’ve initiated the soul searching myself eventually, but a higher (much higher) power, had something else in store. It makes you value the time we have here: every second counts. With all of our distractions, living in the moment is one of life’s ultimate challenges. We’ve all heard the saying, ‘I don’t want to waste’ any time, but when you lose someone, it becomes your life’s work. I remember getting that 4AM phone call (no phone calls are good at that hour), and I’ve never felt more in a moment than that instant. I felt my very existence shift. I realized then, that what we do with our life here IS important. Everything. We can make a difference, no matter where we are in life.

OK, I apologize – I really needed to get that out. And I do need to leave some for my book.

But I do miss you David Paul Webb..

Now, please make me smile from ear to ear. You might not only win some new tuneage, but you’ll make my heart feel just a little lighter. Deadline (sorry, have to do it) is March 9. OH, and congrats incYourself, you have been the best therapy EVER!