“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your
neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it” when you have it with you.” – Proverbs 3:27-28
“Don’t wait until it’s too late to tell someone how much you love, how much you care. Because when
they’re gone, no matter how loud you shout and cry, they won’t hear you anymore.” – Ashley Beale,
“Forgive Me”
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
As some of you already know, Michyl-Shannon lost her father, Mike, recently. Although Mike had
been in failing health for some time, as is so often the case the family was surprised how quickly he failed
and passed once his frail body finally gave out. Not long after being rushed to the hospital, Mike was placed
in end-of-life hospice care and returned to spend his last two days at home surrounded by his wife and
children. (We should all be so blessed when our time comes!)
Family members who lived a great distance away were told that they would not have time to travel
to Texas to say their farewells before Mike would be gone, his time was short. Many of his siblings, nieces,
and grand-children did the next best thing that they could do, they called and the phone was held to Mike’s
ear so that his distant loved ones could say their goodbyes, which all included statements of gratitude and
love. Although Mike was heavily medicated, it seemed that (for a while at least) he could hear these final
loving words. Sadly, he could not rouse himself up and out of his deep near-slumber to respond verbally. He
could not say “I love you, too”, and everyone had to rest in their own certainty that Mike knew he was loved
and that he loved each of them.
There were no real un-resolved issues to settle, no broken bridges that were left un mended, no one
was robbed of a great cathartic resolution (that I am aware of, at least); but I think that everyone, myself
included, would have really liked the opportunity for one more chance to tell Mike that we loved him, to see
it register in his eyes, and to have him respond to us. It all happened so fast, it seemed he was here and then
gone; if only we had known his time was so short…
The truth is that none of us knows when, where, and why we might die; none of are guaranteed that
we will another tomorrow with any of our dearest friends or loved ones. Poets and songwriters have written
across the ages of that ache that endures beyond our missed opportunities to say, “I love you” and Thank
you” when we had the chance.
Our scriptures tell us that our lives are short and fleeting, even for those who live into old-age. We
are to make the most of every day, seizing the opportunities that come with every new moment to speak
words of love, encouragement, hope, and gratitude. I seriously doubt that anyone has ever laid in the
deathbed and worried that they had said “I love you” and “Thank you” too often. God would have us speak
up and share our gratitude and love, lavishly.
If you have the chance to hug, take it. If you have the chance to give someone a kiss, by all means
plant a smooch on them. If you have the chance to say “Thank you” or “I love you, don’t let that chance
slip away. It will never be wasted, and you will never regret having seized the opportunity one more time.