It Goes On

Saying goodbye, moving on, learning how to live a new life without someone: one of the toughest parts of the whirlwind of life. Necessary, though, because as we all know, life does go on.

Today was the memorial service in which my family and other loved ones said a public farewell to Pop. Yet, for all the ways in which the day could have been (and okay, actually was) difficult, the most resonant part is how fantastic the people in my life are.

Oddly, it started with the people who either couldn't attend but let me know they were holding my family and me in their thoughts OR the one (my girl Katie!) who continued to go above and beyond to help with absolutely anything.

From there, the kind gestures overwhelmed me with the knowledge that, while I've been so preoccupied with my life, others have been selflessly thinking of me. For instance? The gorgeous flowers from my husband...

...the beautiful note, booze, and DARYL DIXON KEYCHAIN!!! from my best girl Katie...

...or the food (nomnomnom) that Angie and Ryan prepared for us.

Afterwards, my family went out for lunch together. As a point of pride, I'd like to add that my dear friends Katie, Keith, and Nicole came along because they, too, are family.

And once I returned home and squeezed in a nap? The love fest continued. As has become our tradition in difficult times, Katie and I shared a long-distance shot "To Bob!"

Each and every one of the gestures today, large and small, helped me remember to keep breathing, to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Yet as always, none were quite so profound as my reason for it all:

So it goes...and I am so very ready to carry Bob and his memory in my heart as I see where life takes us next. Carpe diem, friends.