Life is short

This is never more true than when you have a tragedy in your family. Saturday my oldest brother Steven died in a car accident. He was hit in the side and died from the shock. Loosing him has made me realise how much I took my family for granted. At least my brothers and sister. We just believe that they will be there for ever and time slips by and before you know it several years have past and you haven't spoken.



Our family was not what you would call a close family, maybe because we were all split up for several years when we were young because Mum had to go into the hospital, by the time she was able to have us all home again the older ones were making new lives for themselves. I used to phone each of my siblings every Christmas but as the years went by and I continued to live in Canada I phoned less. Steven was always the hardest to reach, for many years he didn't have a phone and I would have to rely on him phoning me. Needless to say last Christmas went by with no word from him and now there won't be any more phone calls. It is too late for me to talk with my oldest brother but I still have a sister and two brothers who I can make sure I keep in touch with more often.



It is very easy to make excuses for not phoning family members, the biggest one being 'it's time they phoned me'. Once it's too late though you can't turn back the clock. Life is too short to play games of 'it's your turn'. Make sure you pick up the phone regularly and talk to your siblings and other family members because you never know when tragedy will strike, a careless driver, an unforeseen medical problem. Death comes like thief in the night.