In the past few months many of my friends have lost loved ones; parents, step-parents, grandparents in particular. Some have been sudden. Some have been expected. I read the comments that try to convey the depth of feelings that range from love and grief, to acceptance and relief. They talk lovingly about what made that person so special in their lives. They try to share a little bit about who they were. Encapsulating the essence of their being into words that cannot completely impart the complexity of their lives.
It made me think about the loved ones in my life and how much they mean to me. I think they know it. I hope they feel the depth of my love. To be sure, I don’t want to wait to speak those words only after they cannot be heard. I want them to hear those words of endearment while they can appreciate and receive them. I want to speak them often.
It also made me think about how I would like to be remembered. Are the things that are important to me obvious to others? Do I make others feel as special as they truly are to me? We don’t all get the opportunity Ebenezer Scrooge had to overhear the remembrances and opinions of others about lives. But we can all appreciate his epiphany and contemplate being a better person to those around us-to make the world a little kinder and a little better through our words and deeds.
We get busy with life, with work, with responsibilities and it isn’t until we are reminded of our mortality through the sorrows of others that we stop to take stock. We can honor those sorrows and grief by reflecting on the gifts we have, including our loved ones, and showing our gratitude while we can.
Don’t wait. If you are grateful for someone’s love and presence in your life, speak the words to let them know….SAY IT TODAY.
litcoachlady 
Oh, Paula, this piece is so wise. I guess we all feel our loved ones know they are loved, and we forget to vocalize our feelings or just assume we don’t have to. But we should speak loving words to our friends and family members while they can hear them and their hearts can be thrilled by them. Life is short….sometimes, unexpectedly shorter than we could have imagined. We should not wait. I think the use of all caps in your final words was a perfect use of variation in print.
I agree with Lynn, Paula. Life is short. I am constantly reminded of that. A few weeks ago, I attended a wake of my friends’ son, 26 years old. It is difficult to be in the presence of those grieving so being grateful for those who are close to us is so important. This weekend is my husband’s birthday and we are traveling with my son to my daughter/son-in-law’s new home in Virginia to celebrate. I will leave with gratitude.
Happy birthday to your husband. Each trip around the sun is a blessing!!
Paula, such a beautiful piece. Life certainly is shorter than we think. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, so we best take care of things today. There are so many people I take for granted. Thanks for reminding me to tell them how I feel.
Here’s to long lives for all of our loved ones!!
Certainly an important reminder, Paula. Something we need to remember from time to time. Thanks!
How I think about these things that you wrote about when I think my thoughts to myself. Yes! Don’t let things that need to be said wait until the listener can no longer hear! Thank you.