Goodbye to You

Today, my husband's paternal grandfather passed away.

It was sudden and unexpected and threw us all for a loop.

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were just over there yesterday BBQing with him...and today, he was gone.

I've experienced or been privy to quite a bit of loss since I started writing this blog. And yet, somehow, I am never prepared for it.

When my grandpa passed away, we knew it was coming. All of my immediate family was there in the room with him when he died. We prayed over him, we said our final goodbyes, and told him it was ok for him to let go...and he did. It was one of the saddest, most beautiful moments I've ever experienced in my life.

We didn't get to say goodbye today.

Yet I know that this was God's plan all along. God took him at the perfect time...even though it may not have seemed perfect to us.

(Josh's grandparents at our wedding)

It just made me realize how often I don't tell the people I love how much I care about them. It makes me think of that Nickelback song, If Today Was Your Last Day. What kinds of things would I say or do if I knew tomorrow was it for me?

I hope the people in my life know how much I love and appreciate them...but I know it never hurts to say it...and to say it more. I know I love hearing those words from other people.

My prayer is that all of us learn to appreciate and love those in our lives a little bit more. Even though death is hard and the pain stings, love always remains.

(Thanksgiving 2011)

Goodbye to you, Grandpa B. I am thankful for the man you were in both mine and my husband's lives.