Hold dear each precious moment of life

Every time I step out the door these days I wonder what’s going to happen next, and to whom. I can’t seem to get Karissa Boudreau out of my head and wonder regularly why some are taken, and so young.

Death is shameless in its indiscriminate nature, as capricious as an icy wind and as spiteful as hell. One never knows when the number’s up. It’s enough to make a person want to stay home, lock the door and never dare to breach the hearth again.

Calamity and chaos are rampant, evidenced in situations as diverse geographically as Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, where police continue to probe Boudreau’s murder, or Northern Illinois University, where a sociology student gunned down five people and then turned his weapon upon himself.

It makes no sense other than to assure people that many act out their rage and/or social dispossession with no consideration whatsoever for human life, and if that doesn’t scare you, nothing will.

Something bad could happen anytime, any place. You just don’t know. Sadly, it illustrates how fragile we are, but I don’t believe we’re as brittle as all that.

Despite everything, we have tremendous power too, more than we ever dreamed, and therein lay a saving grace.

Recently, a visitor reminded me of this. Kings County protective services manager and former Kings RCMP member Gary Smith’s two sons were involved in a car crash late last year: one - Brandon – died; the other - Jared - survived. You could spend a lifetime asking why and seeking purpose for such an inestimable loss, but not Gary.

He spoke from a position of unimaginable strength, as genuine a man as any I have ever met. I was touched beyond words by his candour and devotion not only to Jared, who battles now to recover from the crash, but the son he lost.

The warmth and vigour of Gary’s reminiscence were remarkable and the joy he displayed in relating the wonderful memories of such a fine young man were at once heart-rending and inspirational.

We talked briefly, but what he shared will resonate for a lifetime. He reminded me of how precious each moment is and how important the time with those we love. It can all change in a heartbeat, but the millions of moments we share matter much and we should cherish every second.

While there is indeed much to fear beyond our doors, why shrink in the face of such threat? How much sweeter and fulfilling to embrace with gusto the goodness in our lives and hold dear those who fill our hearts.

Thankfully, this is Gary’s lesson and Brandon’s legacy. In days as uncertain as these, they make perfect sense.