10

Ten years ago my life changed forever with one horrible phone call. Ten years ago a mother lost her son, a father lost his son, a beautiful amazing young woman lost her first love, many friends lost a friend, a sister lost her big brother, a brother lost his role model, and I lost faith! Ten years ago today a young man I had know most of my life died all because of a series of bad decisions and choices but how does not really matter what matters is that the past ten years have gone on without the laugh, comments, cockiness, and presence of a Matt. I smile when I think of him and still often get teary eyed. If you were lucky enough to have shared even one encounter with Matt you know what the world lost ten years ago. But in loosing him I gained a value of life and the day and what is here now. I gained the knowledge to appreciate everything thing and everybody and that even if it is a hard day it it's not as hard as it could be. I regained a trust in GOD and knowing that everything will be ok on the other end of a tragic event, even if it takes years for that to be the case. I know this because his mother amazes me and gets out of bed and functions everyday and that young woman who last her first love found a second love and is happy and living an amazing life with an amazing man.

So, today is a sad day because Matt is not here with us but I am choosing to celebrate him. I will celebrate his short life by visiting his grave, sharing a funny story with my boys about him, send a donation off to the Matthew K. Hunt scholarship fund, maybe make some cupcakes, and say a prayer for how lucky I am to have known such a confident young man and how blessed I am to have three healthy sons of my own.