Each Day is Precious, by Carrie Reeve Benuska

Each Day is Precious, by Carrie Reeve Benuska

Earlier in the week, I got a message that jolted me to my very core.  I learned that one of my best friends had passed away from a massive heart attack.  My body and mind literally went into a form of shock.  How could this be?  Nancy was a woman of amazing strength.  She was good to her body, giving it ample exercise, healthy nutrition, and daily vitamins.  Nancy was the woman who had it all together; the one you went to when you needed advice.  She was decisive, she walked at lightning speed, she ran a highly successful business, she took care of the needs of her family and all those around her, she kept her house clean, and she made her bed every morning.  Nancy seemed invincible.  At the moment that the message was delivered, my mind simply could not wrap itself around the fact that my dear friend was gone from my life forever.

Within two hours, I left the shock and awe phase and my mind began to spin with memories of our nearly 25-year friendship.  The tears began to flow as I remembered experiences, conversations, and events shared with Nancy.  My tearful periods did not end on that first day.  Ever since the first alert came about her death, I cycle through periods of calm and then back into periods of intense sadness.  Although my life continues with household duties, work responsibilities, and daily errands, I am left with the reality that my life will never quite be the same without Nancy in it.

She was a friend who was a constant throughout my entire adult life.  During my young mother years living in Altadena, I saw or talked to Nancy many times a week.  Our kids played together, we solved the problems of the world while walking the streets of Altadena with our dogs, and we discussed our newly formed home-based businesses.  Once I moved from Altadena, I didn’t see Nancy on a regular basis, but she was there.  We would then meet for lunch or coffee and catch up on all of the latest family news.  When we greeted one another, it was as if we had never left one another.  There was never a question about whether we loved one another or whether we were still close.  The moment that we began a phone conversation, an email exchange, or a lovely lunch at Julienne,  we simply picked up where we had left off the last time.  There was never a loss for words or a need to explain a lot of background.  We knew each other’s greatest loves and deepest fears.  We had walked through the pains and triumphs of each other’s lives for so many years, that friendship was easy.

The problem with life is that we often take it for granted and forget that it is but a whisper.  The bible is full of references to the brevity of life.  Job laments that his life passes “more swiftly than a runner.”  The older I get, the quicker that each year seems to pass, but I still don’t carry that reality in my conscious mind on a daily basis.  With all of my busyness, I lose track of the fact that each day could be my last, or worse yet, that each day could be the last for someone I love.  Wouldn’t I make different choices if I kept this reality in my mind on a regular basis?  It would clear away a lot of the clutter that fills my mind and help me to focus on what is the most important – my relationship with God and with the people I love.

I will sorely miss my dear friend, Nancy, for the rest of my days.  The loss of her presence will leave a hole in my heart and life.  My comfort is in knowing that she is happily seated at the feet of Jesus, basking in his glory and sweetly singing his praises.  Her life was oriented around serving her God and I am comforted in knowing that she has found eternal rest and peace.

Thinking of heaven can sometimes be a bit daunting, because the eternal is ethereal and requires faith to comprehend.  When I think of entering the gates of heaven, I like to imagine that someone I know and love will be there to greet me and lead the way into eternity.  I hope that Nancy will serve as my guide, providing me with the same comfort and wisdom in heaven that she provided me on this earth.  Until that day, though, I must allow her death to impact my every day, because indeed, each day is precious.

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