Monday, March 7, 2011

all i never did

September gave way to a winter far more bitter than I ever imagined it would be, tinged only by a small sweetness in knowing that a tiny autumn seed I planted may have germinated in some way.

I wrote back in September that I needed to find a way around the roadblock of my tongue, a cowardice lingering around my heart, almost impossible to overcome. I needed to tell my uncle, my childhood hero, how I loved him, and admired him, and was inspired by him. I wrote that I needed to do this, before all I couldn't tell him, became all I never did.

In this moment, I'm sitting at the deathbed of that same man, ticking off the hours as he loosens the grip on his body and prepares to cross the threshold into the Infinite. He's dying in front of me, 6 feet away from me, and all I couldn't say to him is becoming all I never did--right now, in this room.

I asked him to read my post about him when it was written, and today I'm praying that he did, that he somehow understood my love for him, and that he carries that knowledge in his heart as he readies for his departure.

Love has no expiration date, though opportunity often does.

--Teri.

2 comments:

Tiff said...

I love you, Teri. I'm positive that, even if he didn't read your post, he'll enter eternity knowing.

erinlo said...

Teri- I have thought about those last words "Love has no expiration date but opportunity often does" many times over the last couple of weeks. So true and so convicting. I have been trying to seize every moment and live more intentionally since we watched our uncle die. I, also, wish I had told him how much I loved him. I'm so glad we got to be there in his last moments. What an honor. YOU are amazing and constantly inspire me to "seize every moment!!" Love you!

BTW- I just thought the word verification word was funny. It's "sucks." Why, yes, yes.......it sucks.