Where There Is Death, There Is Also Life....

Years ago, my mom gave me some details about the neighborhood she grew up in in Toledo.  She told me about the beautiful American Elm trees that once lined her childhood street....that is, until the day the city had them all cut down due to Dutch Elm Disease.  It was a huge loss for her neighborhood, as the streets were now bare of so many trees.  Although hard numbers can be hard to come by, it's been estimated that 77 million American Elm trees were lost to the disease between the 1930s and 1970s.

So imagine my surprise when, one day recently, I happened to be in the basement of my dad's place and I gazed out one of the windows to see, to my amazement....

Yup, those are American Elm trees, the ones my mom had lamented the loss of so many years ago.  Obviously, due to their current location, they can't grow very much, and young trees don't develop Dutch Elm Disease for the first 10 years.  At the moment though, they appear to be thriving.  It's amazing to me how life finds a way...

Life Lessons to Remember While You're Still Here

Losing a loved one (or enduring any significant loss, for that matter) can help us realize what's truly important in life.  Some of the things that used to be so important to us don't matter as much anymore, while other aspects of our lives take on new importance and urgency.  This Reddit post nicely sums up some of those with these words of wisdom:

8 lessons people often learn too late in life 

 

• Time is your most valuable resource. You can always make more money, but never more time. Spend it wisely.

• Health is wealth. Ignoring your physical and mental health catches up, sometimes when it’s too late to reverse.

• Happiness isn’t tied to success.  Chasing titles, money, or approval won’t guarantee peace of mind or fulfillment.

• People change, and that’s okay. Not everyone will stay in your life forever, and not all relationships are meant to last.

• You’ll never please everyone. Trying to win everyone’s approval only leads to burnout and confusion about who you are.

• Failures are lessons, not life sentences. Most mistakes are just stepping stones, not dead ends. Embrace the learning.

• Small moments matter the most. The quiet dinners, laughs with loved ones, or solo walks often become the memories you cherish most.

• If you don’t choose your path, someone else will. Letting life “just happen” often leads to regret. Make intentional choices whenever you can.