Losing a Loved One

Everyday we see in the newspaper, a life has been lost - through murder, car accident, illness..condolence messages, breavements - untimely passing, tragic loss, suffering from short / long illness...
you feel pain and sorrow for the family that has lost someone - but the greatest pain you will feel is that of losing a loved one yourself.
One of my best friends passed away - Tim - on the 1st of January 2009 - New Year's Day - early hours... he was stabbed after attending a New Year bash - a fight broke out and he was caught in between. He ended up passing when brought to hospital. His death changed my life - and made me realised that any time, we can be taken - he had a budding career ahead of him as a pilot - his dream to be one day Captain of our only national airline.
He leaves behind his young daughter who was only 4months old when he passed. The same year , couple of months later, I lost my step brother - who was said to have died from injuries sustained from a car accident after coming back from a club, but from what was gathered, he was beaten up - maybe by policemen or other..
Losing close loved ones, of the same age group - made me think about why? why two of my close dear brothers were taken away so soon - made me realise also that change was needed in my life - to stop these habits of partying, drinking.. i always thing the Lord allows for death and such circumstances to take place for us to make major changes in our lives...and sometimes at the price of our loved ones..
My life has changed so much since then - I've started attending church and rearranging my life's directions. I only wished I had embarked on this change sooner in life - maybe I wouldn't have kids earlier in life ...but then I love my daughters so much and life has been so great with them...so maybe I wouldn't have separated and done more better in my relationship, but then i'm much happier now.. and maybe i wouldn't be in this situation i am in right now......but then... - it always seems that Things happen for a reason - and always a good reason - or no matter how bad the situation looks, there is always light at the other side.
I've learnt to deal with death - i think.to some extent.:-/ but to know that there is life after death - being a Christian - knowing that a better home awaits us and all we have now is just temporary... temporary pain, hunger, sorrow... that we must try to deal with our current situations but also consider preparing ourselves for the afterlife...

I lost a younger cousin sister two days ago - she was battling cancer.. and finally her battle being over, and she is at peace. She was less than 30 - I always thought cancer was for the old - never for someone so young - to know the struggles she went through, the battle she put up - you would never think she was suffering within - for always a cheerful , bright smile she always had and lots of positive words... and you think of all the people who have died from cancer - how we all wish for one day soon , there'd be a cure - how we wish these illnesses would vanish - like HIV/AIDs and Asthma that also takes away a lot of lives.. and makes one wonder - why do we have these diseases and illnesses..
some we can prevent , others we can not - i guess its all a part of life, part of life's decisions - and how best we deal with it..
but in the end - life does come to an end - tragically, peacefully, untimely... we never know when.. but one must remember the life we have, we have lived and celebrate it and be thankful that we have come to know and be a part of each of our loved one's lives.

RIP sista Diannah
and in memory of all other loved ones.