What I have learned

Thanks Mom and Jenny for your thoughts. Here are a few things that I have learned or re-learned:

-prayers, although the "easiest" thing to do, mean everything- even for the aunt
-charity has a ripple affect
-tragedies are FAR reaching
-the drive to UT from Albuquerque can be very very very long
-grief comes in waves
-sometimes when family members look relatively composed at funerals, it's because they have been previously crying for days
-crying a lot gives you headaches
-seeing the face of your loved ones brings so much comfort to one's soul
-just acknowledging someone's pain is sometimes all that is needed
-don't act like everything is normal because you think the person doesn't want to remember or talk about the pain
-even though life goes back to normal (for some), you never do
-family REALLY is all that matters in life
-friends are family we CHOOSE
-THERE IS A PLAN FOR EACH OF US BECAUSE WE ARE THAT IMPORTANT AND SPECIAL TO GOD!