It can never be a good thing to get woke up out of a deep sleep to the phone ringing.... but it's even worse when you see on caller ID who it is and your mind starts racing faster than you ever thought possible in the few seconds it might take for your hand to reach for the phone and answer it. That's how my day started today....
I can't even remember if I said hello when I answered it, I think I might have just blurted out "Are Grammy and Papa ok?" That was followed by a breath of relief before the next blow came and my mom said "It's Uncle George".
I cried, felt regrets that we didn't get to see him while we were back visiting (due to all the illness we had and didn't want to share with him!) and crumbled into my husband to cry some more. I cried for my Papa who lost his only living brother, and for my cousins who lost their Dad and Grandpa, and I cried for myself because it's the loss of one more person in my world who grounded me. Another one of "those people" who are part of my earliest memories in life who have always been there and who in my mind would always be there...
The loss of someone you love is always such a reminder to tell the people that are still with us just how much they mean to us. It might be an awkward thing to pour your heart out to someone about your deepest feelings about them but really, what do you have to lose. Some things just need to be said before it's too late. My challenge for you is don't wait. Don't wait to make that phone call or send that thoughtful card. Don't wait to make sure the people you love know just how much!!
I hope my Uncle George knew how much he was loved....
He knew...I know he did because we wrote to him, sent him pictures and visited when we could...I didn't know you'd written this. So glad you did. :)
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