...and just like that, it's over

...and just like that, it's over.

One of my favorite ways to end my day when everyone's doing their own thing-is too scroll through Instagram. My new favorites to stalk are style blogs and I especially love summertime Instagram because of vacation pictures, memories being made, more family-less school. The style blogs take me to faraway places that I can only dream about in some cases. Others are just close to home and cute clothes. They are all in shape, dressed to the nines and sitting in some fabulous locales. I have to remind myself that these 20 something's lives aren't as perfect as the pictures portray, nor are their children. Even "friends" I follow sometimes look like they may be living a storybook life, again, reminding myself that most of the time it's not all beaches and prettiness. Other times, since life has shown me a sort of glass half empty way, I wonder what the future holds for some that seem to portray perfection. I wonder will these subjects have kids that stray and will the loves of their lives, smiling and giddy, in the photos leave them for another? Will someone get the dreaded diagnosis of cancer? Call me jaded-I can be-the cards I've been dealt aren't the best-but we-the Richardson 5 were those subjects once. My people made wonderful memories on the beach, each year we dressed us up in white and khaki and we made picture perfect memories on the beach. I snapped images of a loving, almost perfect dad with 3 loved kids. Every now and again there would be a picture of me, mom, smiling from the tips of my toes to the top of my head because life was near perfect. Dad, he had a wonderful job that allowed mom and kids to enjoy "country club" memberships, 2-4 vacations a year, the clothes we wanted, nice things when we wanted. We had good friends, great family time. Life was a story book and often I would pinch myself once I crawled in bed and smiled knowing that this was my life. I was one of those that never dreamt of what real life can bring. If Instagram had been around then I'd be posting my perfect life with all the perfect #hashtags.
Life was good
...and just like that, it was over.

Tonight, I don't feel like scrolling through Instagram, I don't want to see perfect lives because tonight my heart is heavy. My eldest sister had a childhood friend that always stood out to me. She was full of giggles, curls and joy. Even as a young girl I noticed her.  She ended up teaching me piano. I loved going weekly for her grand piano, her joy, her illustrations in my books and the smell of her moms cooking while I learned my notes. She went off to college, life took her away from Rome. Thankfully Her mom and Facebook has kept out families connected. She married, had kids and from what it looks like had a near perfect life. She and her husband love God and serve Him well. Her kids grew up, graduated and it was back to her and him. Doing life together. As couples do they were vacationing, enjoying time away, probably taking photos of their time at the beach. A place that he and I agreed-was nearest thing to heaven. Yesterday, she left the beach to head to their condo
...and just like that, it was over. He was gone. Drowned. Not sure if it was a real drowning or heart attack-doesn't matter. He was gone. Another perfect family-shattered.
I messaged her trying to convey my heart-words just aren't adequate at times like this. Thankfully, she knows that I get it, she responded telling me she knew I got where she was. She knows life is broken without the love of her life but has hope and peace knowing where and Who he is with. My heart breaks for her tonight-because this is just the beginning of some of the worst days of her life. I can not fathom being on vacation, at the waters edge
...and just like that, it's over.

Same for the lady that lost her life to the hands of man that once loved her and her kids-with one gunshot
...and just like that, it's over.

I can't say it enough-time is fleeting. Perfect lives are shattered daily, in seconds by sickness, tragedy, deceit, lies. Forgive my jaded eyes when I scroll and see smiles and joy depicted on Instagram because I know that life can be perfect
...and just like that, it's over.

Thankfully one day we will hear a trumpet blow, we will realize that this brokenness, suffering, and pain of earth will be swallowed up by our Savior
...and just like that, it will be over.

Prayers and love for the Alexanders.