Loving the one you're with

Hub's grandfather died today. I never got to know the real man. By the time I met and married Hubs, Alzheimer's had already taken away the person that he was. I know him through memories of his family, though. It's a sad day.

Last fall, Hub's grandmother passed away. At one point during receiving of friends, I sat down next to the grandfather. He didn't know who I was. He could never remember me. But I liked to talk to him. He had great stories of his youth. He nodded at the casket:

GF: She looks pretty.

Me: Yes, she does.

GF: There are a lot of people here. She was well loved.

Me: Yes, she was.

Until this point, I didn't realize that he was remembering.

GF: She wore a yellow sundress. She was beautiful. She knew how to iron my collars just right.

Me:....

GF: You're married to my grandson, right?

Me: Yes, sir.

GF: He's a good boy.

Me: I know.

GF: Do you love him?

Me: Very much.

GF: Good. He should be loved. You need to tell him every day. Because I didn't do that. And I think that's why I forgot. So make sure you tell him that you love him. You have to tell me that you promise.

Me: I promise. I will tell him every day.

GF: Lots of times a day. He needs to hear it a lot. Say it all the time so you don't forget.

I didn't try to explain to him that the reason he forgot was because a disease had made him forget. I was stuck on the fact that his regret, even when he couldn't remember a lot of things, was that he didn't say 'I love you' enough. I'm happy today that he's free from his pain and that he is in a place where the loss of memory will never plague him again. It is a sad day on our end, though. I'll miss you, sir.

If you have someone who means something to you, tell them that you love them today. Life's too short to not share that.