A Final Chapter

[wlyon]

Thank you all very much for your kind words and prayers.

I recently submitted this to our local paper. Thought I would print it here. There's advice here I wish I had always followed. For the majority of you, it's not too late. Anyway, for whatever it's worth:

We recently lost a beloved daughter at the age of 50 very suddenly from a massive infection. It is difficult to describe what losing a son or daughter is like. Only those who have experienced such a loss know the amount and intensity of the grief. I hope and pray none of you will ever have to know it.

Our daughter was a very special person. She was a thoughtful and loving woman of whom we were and are very proud. When one loses a son or daughter, along with the intense grief, we also have regrets. We think about the times we should have called but didn’t and the times we should have visited them but didn’t, along with the excuses we had for not doing so.

Whenever I was on the phone with Kathy, which was not frequently enough, I always ended with “love you, Kid” and in return I heard “love you too, Dad.” I wish I could explain what this means now.

If you have children at home, give them an extra hug and kiss. Tell them how much you love them. If they are older and have left home, call them today and let them know how much you love them. Visit them as often as possible. Do not use the normal excuses of “who will mow and water the lawn, who will take care of the pets/livestock,” etc. These things are meaningless. And always let them know how much they are loved. Some day both of you will be glad you did.