Ahh, you've made me cry first thing in the morning after another long, dark night. I'm newly 39, the wrong side of your number 25 where the gap closes, and I miss my parents and sister in Savannah more than I can say. They miss me too and I worry and regret the time passing that I'm not with them because of everything you wrote here, just filtered through my own life experience. While I am one of three siblings my parents were one of seven siblings each which means that I've lived to see the passing of all my grandparents and several of my Aunts and Uncles ( and cousins) and I have a hyper awareness of the passage of time because of it. My father's work also delivered it to us day in and day out as children, that life ends, it ends fairly and unfairly alike without regard for those left behind. It ends with the police checking on elderly or disabled relatives that die alone in their homes, in it ends in highways where my Dad had to reconstruct accidents from skid marks and in the back of ambulances from injury or disease; it doesn't seem to matter much that we would all rather it end politely, after and extended and well lived life, and with loved ones by your side.

It is always there in the back of my mind that every day is one less. My heart hurts for Amber so very much.