Life Altering?

I decided this deserved its own post, as it was the most significant thing that happened over the past few months - my Paw Paw passed away the week before the 4th of July weekend... The 3rd of July would have actually been his 83rd birthday, which was the main reason I was going back to New Orleans - to see him one last time, since his cancer had been getting worse. Instead it ended up being for his funeral. Funeral's are never fun, but are particularly hard when its someone you were close to and care about very much, so I truly thank Fritz and Chad and Mel for coming to support me - it really meant alot - and thanks to everyone for their kind words and wishes.

The funeral, and all the family and friends that gathered, really got me thinking and missing home alot more than every before. The sense of community and family was very strong - the number of people who's lives my grandparents have touched, and how close of a family we have just made me rethink priorities in life. My career is important, sure, but my family and friends are more so -that's how my grandfather lived his life, and he seemed to have a very happy and very full life.

Jumping a little bit, something that the funeral reminded and frustrated me of was my lack of religious faith. God and the Catholic faith was a huge part of my grandfather's life and he seemed to have a more peaceful and happy existence because of it. Chad even jokingly commented about my grandfather's funeral saying that he had never seen so many priests on an alter at one time. I miss the feeling of having more faith many of us had when we were younger, and I don't really know how to get it back. Just something else that's been bouncing around my head since then.

So I'm not sure where this all really leaves me - I guess just trying to live a better life and figure out what really makes me happy and what's important. But then again, isn't that what everybody strives for?