Oh you guys! Life has been giving me the sharp edge of the blade for a while and today it cut deep. My dad’s last remaining sibling was killed this morning in a car accident, along with his wife. Dad’s two other brothers passed within the last year or so, though not as tragically.

Aside from sorrow over losing these wonderful people, I grieve for my dad. He’s the youngest of six and we always knew there would be this day eventually, but it feels like it came way too soon.

This has not been the only hit we’ve had lately. Last week there was the surprise death of an uncle on the other side of the family, and we are all still feeling the sting from my cousin losing his five-year-old son in another tragic accident just last month.

I feel like this has been an entire year of loss. Important, wonderful people are gone and I miss them. I still  miss Koda desperately. I miss being younger and feeling invincible. I miss feeling hope. And I miss the people who are still here on earth, but who have chosen different paths and are no longer in my life. The hurt never goes away.

Today is my birthday and I have never been a big fan of celebrations, but I’d definitely take that over the tears.