When you are forced to say good-bye...

There is a uniqueness in a child's love for his grandparents. I had to say good-bye for the last time to an amazing woman last week - my grandmother. She was a woman who exemplified what it is to be a loving mother, wife, and grandmother. She always gave with an open heart and lived with a special zest for life I have seen very rarely in my life. She was funny and charismatic and possessed an amazing strength and determination. She was always a huge source of inspiration for me and a rock of support I could always count on. She was my biggest fan and loved without judgment. Her biggest desire was for me to be happy. What do you do when you are forced to say good-bye? What do you do when someone is taken from you at a time when need them the most? What do you do with the words that were left unsaid or certain actions were left undone? These are some of the questions I was left asking myself as I reflected on the passing of my grandma and these are the conclusions I came to: Open up your heart and love often. Judge less and praise more. Don't live in regret of the past or fear of the future because it takes away from the only time that exists - the present. Write thank you cards often and show appreciation for the people in your life. Say "I love you" more. Smile and laugh freely. Help someone in need - it's something you will never regret. Open more doors for people - literally and figuratively. Don't hold back on life. Find your purpose and live it everyday. Be grateful - for everything. Tears are the river of your soul - let them flow. Bask in the little things in life - they are usually what lead to the bigger things. Live more like a child - free. Move more everyday - you owe it to yourself and for those who can't move. Do something nice for a child. Listen to the well-lived (elderly) - they possess lots of wisdom. Wear your heart on your sleeve - it may get broken but it is the only way for it to get captured. Be more vulnerable - it is a sign of true strength. Love yourself more - there is no one else like you. Take more leaps - who knows? You just may fly. If you aren't passionate about your work - change it. Stay focused but take breaks to look around more - there is beauty all around you. Take time to daydream - the best ones may become your future reality. My grandma may have passed but her spirit will live on in my heart forever. I love you grandma.