Oh Father

You never know what kind of curve balls life is going to throw. And they often come hard and fast.

So many things have transpired since December that I often have to stop and catch my breath. It was little over a month ago that my brother, sister-in-law and nephew got into a serious car accident. Although my sister-in-law was hurt, she's alive and we're all grateful. It was a heads up that life is too short and too unpredictable.

I started looking at things differently after the accident. I learned to slow down and enjoy each day. During the following weeks, Mr. Ex and I had been racing around to get my house emptied for new folks to move in. But we did have the opportunity to take all four of our kids (his two and my two) up north. It was a chance for his father to meet the kids and I. I'd already met his mother numerous times since she had been coming down regularly.

I was nervous to say the least. His father is a respected doctor/research scientist who's received international acclaim for the work he's done in his field. I was intimidated to say the least. But as we bowled, took the kids horseback riding, sat in Dr. Seuss movies and ate in the food court, I quickly discovered he was just like the rest of us. I liked him immediately, especially watching him with the kids.

There was alot I could learn from Mr. Ex's parents. They had been together for four decades and were still going strong. Their lives were very rich. And they were happy. After that weekend, I had a renewed faith in how good life with the right partner could really be.

Monday morning I was in the kitchen making Mr. Ex breakfast when his phone rang. I could hear from the tone in his voice it was bad news... and I was right. His father had died suddenly. The same man who had been bowling, shooting photographs of his grandchildren and eating shrimp just two weeks was gone -- in an instant. It was the ultimate shock. He was 61 and the picture of good health.