Showing posts with label Losing A Loved One. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Losing A Loved One. Show all posts

Monday, August 14, 2017

Today's Complexities + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Today wraps up a mystery that has been in our minds here in Utah. On July 27th, a man went missing. He was a husband, a new father, and a son. What was interesting and notable about this was that his disappearance was surrounded by thousands of interested spectators and commentators. People came out of the woodwork to give their opinions as to why he was missing, what the family's role in his disappearance was, and who was to blame for his disappearance. As it so happened, the wife of this man happens to be a well-known blogger named Ashlee.
Well, the hate and rhetoric that was spewed out during the 18 day ordeal before they found him yesterday was...well, it was pretty unprecedented, calling her a phony, a fraud, and calling out false sightings of him with another girl, and everything imaginable. 

No, he wasn't perfect, no one is, and they had been through some really tough times during their marriage, including infertility and some other things that Ashlee had alluded to in at least one post, possibly two. But her strength and vulnerability were both bravely shared with any who wanted to follow along. She was authentic and a role model for those of us who wanted to use her as such. After all, in this world of Facebook and Instagram perfection, it was a little disconcerting to see someone's authenticity exposed so freely. Yet there it was. 

And when he disappeared, there were so many supporters and the haters, of course, wanted to tag along too. The story is still new, knowing only that his body was found in bad condition, floating in Mill Creek, found by employees of a business in the area.  We will probably never know what caused his death, now only suspected as suicide. What combination of events made him lose it? Or was it one single thing that he couldn't shake? 

Life today is so complex and sometimes it can really throw you. It necessitates being able to step back, and simplify the world as you know it, and prioritize what is most important and stick to it! 
My thoughts and prayers go out to Ashley and Paul, their love, family, and their new baby girl who will never have a chance to know her daddy except through others' memories. As I reflect on this tragedy and try to learn something from it, I will again refocus my own priorities and concentrate on simplifying my life. I won't feel guilty about it either. If my summer consists of staycations all summer long, I will feel happy because staying home is something I love. If I don't craft up my home on any given holiday, I will feel gratitude that I have eyes to admire the creations of others who have been able to do so. If I am not known as the one who reaches out to every single person I know in every social situation, then I will appreciate them in my thoughts and love them from afar and will do as much as I can, when I can. And I will keep those who matter close, oh so close!
 Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! (Affiliate links welcome!)