This week has been pretty terrible for my entire family. Very early Tuesday morning we got a phone call from my Uncle Tom's wife. It startled all of us from our sleep. I walked into my parents room groggy and stumbling to make sure everything was ok.
I heard my mom shout "WHAT"!? and I began to get nervous. My dad sat up and I sat down when my mom uttered the words "he's dead".
My Uncle Tom, the coolest uncle of all, had passed away unexpectedly.
I woke up the next morning (after laying awake for hours, only to fall asleep 1 hr before I needed to get up for work). I thought "oh thank goodness, it was a dream", but then I checked the caller ID. It wasn't a dream.
I took Tuesday as a bereavement day at work, and my parents left for the service the next morning. Since it was in CT, I had to stay home. I will never get to say goodbye, get a card from him, or play "heart and soul" on the piano with him again.
And we were supposed to see him this summer, too.
Tell your family that you love them. Please, I beg you... don't assume that they know. People need to hear that, and you never know when the last time you will be able to say that to them again.
