I did something random today old friend. 
I’m not sure why … but I did.

After awhile of driving, my truck found itself back in the parking lot of the building where I last saw you.  Without hesitation I opened my door, got out, and began walking towards the building where I knew you wouldn’t be.  As I walked through the hallways, my path directed towards the room you had the night before my mind felt peace.  As the white-coats passed with a smile I caught myself fitting in as this were any other non-random trip.  One foot in front of the other my legs lead me to the outside garden.  I took a seat on a cold stone bench overlooking the room where you once laid.  It was windy as I tried to stop the plastic from my store bought sandwich from flying away.  I couldn’t help recounting the details of the day as it is one ill never find me forgetting.  It’s been awhile since you left this earth bound for greater things but your impact is still close to our hearts.  I’ve been wondering if you’ve staged a sit down with the big guy in the sky.  Knowing you I’m sure you pushed right to the front of the line.  I wonder if you asked “Why Me”?  Hell, I wonder if those two words will ever yield an answered either here or there.  If you did ask I can imagine his response wrapped tight in a warm confident grin.  His hands on your shoulder, he probably said a little something like this…

Nicole, you are to many an unmovable object of amplified courage.  You must know that I choose only the strongest of my children to show the world my purpose.  I’m proud of you, mainly the woman so many came to admire.  It was though your fight that others found grace.  It was through your pain that others were able to see the good in a bad day.  Lastly, it was through your passing that the souls you touched learned to live and breathe each day with an immense fire.  I chose you my love because you are a survivor. 

You are and will always remain my dearest companion in an unfair courageous fight.  You gave em hell and never gave in or up.  You stood when others would sit and smiled when others could not.  Your name and the story you wrote through your actions will weather the ages old friend.  To say we miss you does not begin to express the feelings surging in our hearts but I know you were meant for greatness.  In the end many of us just plain need a strong angel to do the watching. 

Till We Meet Again,

<3Preston

             I sometimes vision a life without struggle, without the negatives, without the bad news.  I wonder how much better our life would be if we woke up to the sun grazing our faces and our heart, mind, and soul looked forward to the day ahead.  At first it is easy to say what wouldn't there be to like about such a life?  Smiles would never be in short supply and laughter would fill our every moment.  However, what would be the end result, the purpose of living such a life?  Would it be that we would skip happily through that type of existence until or time has come and we are to be called away?

            When my visions of the perfect life ecstasy fades I ponder on the ramifications and the ultimate dash between the dates on our headstone.  I believe if life were perfect it would cancel out the things we hold dear.  No longer would there be epic battles where the names of the hero's last the ages.  No longer would we triumph over ever lasting evil, which lets us know that we are capable and deserving of more.  In simple text, our lives would be static.  Growth would be halted and we would just be existing in happiness.  But is this enough?  Through my years, I have been one who welcomes hardship and evil.  I have cried, felt sorrow, pain and destruction only to come out in the end smiling in the face of these obstacles.  For this I have become stronger and with each event and each new day I've grown stronger into the man, into the person that walk's shoulders straight chin up.  I carry my scars both emotional and physical proudly as they are the words that tell the story of my dash.  I sometimes struggle so much on the importance of living a life worth reading about that I often find myself worn out and worried over never doing enough.  Have I become a person who thrives off overcoming? 

It was Thomas Jefferson who said "We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable, that all men are created equal and independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  

            The pursuit of happiness is what makes our lives worth living.  It is in this constant pursuit we find will, courage, power, and strength to conquer another day.  Without the pursuit, we would not be able to find growth and with out that growth we would lose our identity.  Therefore, I ask, is the perfect life void of all negatives the one you wish for or do you live to experience all which makes us human...

To be continued...

In Constant Pursuit,

Preston Presnell
Founder, LifeLinkage.Com
www.lifelinkage.com
lifelinkage@gmail.com