fragile

So we finally got the final diagnosis. Not Metastatic Breast Cancer. Oh no something much more random of course, my mom has been diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma, that has spread through her bones, liver, pancreas and brain. Wow. That is all I can think. How did this happen? She did not have any signs of Melanoma. She is in the small percentage, about 5%, of people who have this type of cancer that have no lesions that show up on the skin. It all still feels so unreal, raw. Having this happen to my mom has made me think about life differently. Life is fragile. Yet I treat it differently. I was thinking about how when I order something, take for instance my favorite bowls from Anthropologie, I unwrap them carefully. Taking in the words fragile written on the box. Placing each and every bowl slowly in the cupboard. Every time I use one I take precautions. But with life I forget how fragile we all are. How in the blink of an eye life can get turned upside down and broken. I feel foolish for thinking that nothing as scary as this would happen to my family. To my little safe warm world. What I have learned in the past 4 weeks is to take each day and cherish it. Hug tighter and longer. Say I love you as much as you can. Let go of people who are weighing you down and lift up the ones who hold you up. I urge who ever reads this to do the same. Go give your kids one more hug tonight. Kiss your loved one for no reason. Call your mom and dad and just say Hi. Because life is fragile and we should treat it that way.