A technology news outlet I follow on Facebook posted the following status update a while back:
Have you ever wished that you could record something that already happened? What would you go back and record? - http://tcrn.ch/173v8RY
Although they apparently deleted my comment (for reasons completely outside of my understanding), this is what I commented (slightly edited):
I would so love to go back and record the few moments I got to spend with my wife on her last day alive. She died in a terrible scuba boating accident, and of course none of us knew those were her last hours. I'd record her and I and our then 3 1/2 year old daughter snuggling in bed that morning. I'd record the last hug I gave her. I'd record our daughter and I seeing her later that day at the aquatic center where she did her beginner scuba diving training, shortly before she went out on that boat. I'd record my last goodbye kiss, which was through a chain link fence. And I'd record that very last moment I set eyes on her, from across a distance, waving at her in her pink shorts and white t-shirt and beautiful smile before she left our lives forever. Some people feel we spend too much time recording life and not enough time living life, and they're absolutely right. But I'd so love to have those moments recorded so I could go back to them and also to show our daughter as she grows up and is trying to know and remember her mother.
As I reference above, I think many of us (myself included) spend too much time with our face pointed at a screen (usually a smartphone) taking photos, posting updates, whatever. We spend so much of our lives interacting with our devices and not living in the moment. But there are times when I think we have to recognize the preciousness of the little things, and we need to remember to try and capture them once in a while. You never know when those precious little events can become hugely important. I know my daughter and I would both love to have record of those last precious moments with Aimee.
A technology news outlet I follow on Facebook posted the following status update a while back:
I took a quick look at the website, most of the comments I read seemed to be of the genre I call "hipster doofus"--not that there's anything wrong with that :)
ReplyDeleteBut, I have the feeling that your comment was way too genuine and heart felt for them, and that is a shame--
Yeah, I posted my comment on their Facebook post, not in the article itself, but you're right about the type of comments most people had left. It's ok though. I get it. Real, genuine feelings that are more intense are uncomfortable to most people. And I'm sure what I wrote stood out like a sore thumb and probably made someone feel awkward. Too bad deleting what I wrote was how they chose to deal with it.
DeleteHi Pat,
ReplyDeleteI found you through my Twitter's "Who to follow" suggestions and spent a bit reading your posts. I just wanted to let you know that this one especially touched me and your wife sounds like a beautiful person. I hope this blog has been helping you to achieve some of the comfort you're seeking.
Best,
Tia