You don't get a second chance at that "last time", and it will haunt you to your core. I lost my boy to a drunk driver 6 1/2 years ago and I still hear our last conversation and guess I always will. It didn't have love in it but I can only hope he knew it was always there.

 

years ago my uncle edmund had a stroke, on day four of his stroke i was on my way to work and decided to stop in for a minute, i held his hand and prayed for him. several hours later my wife called me at work and told me he had passed. i was very sad that he went but i was releved that a family member had spent time with him. later that year when the red sox won the world series i took our local newspaper to his grave site and read him out loud every story about the win. ( he was a big sox fan) i also did this when the patriots won there first super bowl. so after 24 + years of being married i still kiss my wife by in the morning 3:45 am tell her i love her. and i call her at lunch time just so i can get through the next 6 hours.

 

Few thread have touched me like this one.

I was raised by my grandfather, a man who was and always will be my hero. A proud man who never complained about anything and never an ill word about someone else. Was a very successful business man that kept him traveling around the world.

The family was suspect that his health was failing but he never said a word. Ran into a friend of his who asked me about his health. Seems he collapsed at a trade show a few weeks before. The very next morning I hopped in my car a drove to New York to see him. He was home in bed under a nurses care unable to do anything for himself, dieing from cancer. For the next 5 days we talked about things he never spoke of. His child hood, teen years, being a Captain in the Army in WWII. Starting out in the world as a mail boy in NY city, moving to Chicago and starting his first business. Things he never had time to talk about before. I carried him outside to get some fresh air. Was one of the most meaningful weeks of my life. AS i was preparing to leave, ha said "do you want a set of clubs"? His golf clubs? He loved golf more then anything and a that moment we both knew we would never see each other again. I hugged him, we said goodbye and will never forget the look he gave me. I broke down emotionally and teared most of the way home to Chicago.

He passed away 5 days later.

Will always cherish the time I spent with him and never get over the emptiness of him not being around.

Great thread. Thanks !

 

Excellent post and a strong reminder about what's important. My wife and I do the same thing -- never leave the house without an, 'I love you" and our daily talks. I use this with my kids as well. My grandparents and mother don't receive that same attention because of "life" but after this post, I'm changing that right now.

Thank you for the excellent post.

 

I called my younger brother one night, telling him about a Trailblazer game, we both knew a guy who was killed in Alaska, quite young. I said to my brother, '' you know, the most importain thing is knowing where your going when you die''. He said , ''well, i know where i'm going''. I told him ''me, too, but, i've got to work on a few things yet''. I then told him, ''well, i'll let ya go, but, i'm not going to say goodbye, just, I'll see ya later, because if we both believe in God, and live accordingly we'll see each other in Heven''. So, instead of me saying goodby,it's too final, I said, ''i'll see ya later''. He was a timber faller, the very next morning at 9:45, he was gone. Killed by a log that should not have moved for any reason at all, rolled down a slight grade and broke his neck. He was young, married 3 boys, I sure miss him! But, I KNOW where he is, and i'm anxious to see him again. I still go with that, i don't tell people good bye anymore, i just say, '' I'll see ya later''

 

Great post Midnight. Sometimes we get too familiar with things the way they are.
They can change at a moments notice.
MikeM

 

nightrider2 i have to agree with you goodbye's are too final, i always by, see ya , so long. i avoid the goodbye's at all cost.

 

Great message, great stories. (I think I'm done crying now). I always try to say I love you when leaving, or hanging up the telephone...even to friends who don't expect it.

 

My step Dad the man who raised me since I was 3 years old called me a couple years ago to tell me he was just diagnosed with Altshimers and he wanted me to know that if he forgot me he still loved me and allways would, I told him he was the best Dad I could ever hope for and I loved him too and allways would, A week later he passed away from a heart attack. I miss him very much but am glad to have that last conversation with him! That Man was allways there for me whether we were in dissagreement or not, I thought he would outlive me because he was just ohnery when he wanted to be but the greatest guy when you needed him. I sure do miss going to the bar and havin a few with him!