Don’t Wait – A Post on Friendship, Eternity and Assumptions about Tomorrow

Posted byenthusiasticallydawnPosted inWriting LifeTags:, , , , , ,
I replay the last time I saw him over and over in my head.
Standing in the check out at Stop & Shop.

We had been communicating over the phone and e-mail and only had been in touch after many years. Such was this friendship. It was the kinds of friendship that had the weathered storms of teen years, lifestyle changes and lives apart. It was the kind that had seen good times, bad times- some shared together, many more apart but then shared in catching up conversation. It had been close, distant, then close again. Although just prior to my dear friend Steve’s passing in 2010, life seemed to have delivered us back into our easy going friendship. I did not realize on that day at the market, it would be the last time I would see him, this side of eternity.

I called him, but not until a few days later. I e-mailed him and got no response. It bothered me because he had told me much about his recent struggles and challenges. I assumed things got busy. It was not like him to not respond at all.

It was one year later almost to the date of that encounter that I found out.
I was laying in the backyard when my mom walked around newspaper in hand and mentioned a memorial for Steve Harrison. “Is that your Steve?” she asked. I shot back “Of course not, it couldn’t be- I saw him awhile back. He’s busy. Lots going on with work, life and family stuff.”
Upon further observation, to my complete shock, the reality was confirmed. My heart could not comprehend it. There are people in life somehow we just assume will always be there. Even if we are not always in touch, right? There are friends I fear, we believe will live forever. Loved ones who we feel are guaranteed to stay the course here with us. We live parallel lives in different worlds trusting there is always tomorrow.

There are days when you realize that the people who you miss most in this life are the ones who make you long for eternity. 

Steven Harrison – you are missed by this one, and many. June 25th will never be the same- but always a reminder of your smile and life. Always.

Today my friends, I have one message for you:

Don’t wait.
Don’t wait to say I’m sorry, or I love you.
Don’t wait to reach out.
Don’t wait to forgive, or let go of that one thing that holds you back from forgiving.
Don’t wait to be the bigger one. Or smaller one.

Really it doesn’t matter in the end.

Don’t trust you have tomorrow.

OK?

I was going to write a whole new post …as I think of him today –
but really I said it all at the post I wrote when it happened.
I hope you will take the time.

Here it is if you would like to check it out:
A Grief Observed With Hope

With continued love and prayers for the Harrison family and friends.

Published by enthusiasticallydawn

Dawn Paoletta is the author of Journaling for Discovery and Delight. Her writing is included in several anthologies and her poems have been included in the Wickford Poetry and Art Exhibit and Books. Dawn is currently working on her next book. Inquiries at dawn.paoletta@gmail.com

7 thoughts on “Don’t Wait – A Post on Friendship, Eternity and Assumptions about Tomorrow”

  1. Dawn; I went back and read your original post. It is hard for us to understand why these things happen.We have to trust God and ask Him to bring us through them. A friend of mine at church lost her husband last August. She is grieving more noticeably now than when he first died. We never get over losing someone. We may come to accept it.

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  3. So beautiful. We often take others for granted, and not in a way that's taking something from them, but just like you said…that they'll always be there. Even though we know life is fleeting and all of us are called home at some point, it's like it never really connects until you loose that someone. I'm sorry for your loss but am glad that you had the opportunity to have wonderful friend to forever be etched on your heart.

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  4. Dawn, I'm feeling with you. For you. To tell you the truth, I couldn't finish the post you wrote right after your friend died. It hit too close. I've had to say goodbye to a couple of friends, and a couple of others I didn't have the chance. But I think we always wish we'd said something more. No matter what the last words were, afterwards there are more in our heads that were clearer. One more conversation, I think. Just one more. That's what grief is. So when I think of those I most miss–and will always miss–I always think, “I'll see you in the morning.” Because we'll have that conversation then. With Him.

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  5. I'm really feeling this today. all those times that I rush around and don't take enough to time to stop. all those times that I hold a grudge and keep silent when I should have reached out a hand and said, yes, I am for you. beautiful, powerful words. so very sorry for your loss, dearheart 😦

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