Sad Day, She Left Too Soon...

Today was a very sad day for me and many people in the Nashville music industry community. A friend and colleague of mine, Emmie, passed away suddenly due to pregnancy complications. She was 17 weeks pregnant with her first baby and she was so excited to be a mom. I've known Emmie for a few years as she was one of the first people I met here in the music business. She was always so nice and always made me feel welcome. When she told me she was pregnant a few weeks ago, she was simply over the moon. She was so excited to be a mom and looking for advice on all kinds of baby related things. I had lunch with her last week and she mentioned she felt good for the most part except for pains that she kept having. The doctor chocked it up to just being pregnant and having growing pains. I saw her Monday evening at an industry event and she was her typical happy self, but said that these pains were really hurting her that day. Emmie was telling me about their plans for painting the baby's room and how she didn't want to find out the babies gender, but her husband did so she joked that he may not come to the ultrasound. She passed away Tuesday morning.

Today was the memorial service. I went with my boss and it was as nice as a ceremony could be. There were so many people there and everyone had felt such a loss. Lee Ann Womack was there and sang "I Hope You Dance" and I don't think there was a dry eye in the church. It was and still is so hard to believe that she's not with us anymore. I work with her regularly on promotions and our business is unfinished. She had just married last year and was pregnant and looking to start her family. She was only 33. They mentioned that her baby was a boy named Westin. Although nothing like this can ever be justified or explained, it does make you reflect on your own life. It forces you realize that life is short and that you need to count your blessings. Love your family and friends and tell them so regularly. I do know that I am so blessed with a wonderful family and friends. I love every one of you and I don't take anyone for granted.

At the ceremony, there was a reading that was one of Emmie's favorites. I included it below. I am writing about this because I feel like this blog is essentially a diary for me. Life has a plan of it's own and as much as I like to write about and remember the happy times, it's the sad times that shape who we are as well. Emmie left this world too soon, but I am happy and blessed to have known her.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8