'Our - Unbeknownst - to Us - Last Visits'

🖤🙋🏻 More oftentimes than not, upon leaving someone's presence, we assume that, we shall see him/her again, sometime, somewhere.  However, every now and then, our assumption, concerning him/her - with this, is, unfortunately, DEAD wrong! 💔😢😔 And NOW that, I am older and wiser, and, have had this realization, I try to remind myself of this - often, especially concerning people who tend to "get on my nerves!" 😉🤣...just kidding (sort of)!! 😉☺️ Anyway, many of my "loved ones" (great grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.), passed away whenever I was a young girl, and, all of their deaths saddened me (whenever I was old enough to know that, they had left us), however, it is as though, God, somehow, put a "kind of" " protective, guard or blanket" (if you will), around my young, mind and heart, as to soften the severity of DEATH. 🖤 I hope that, what I just expressed - makes sense! 🤣 It is difficult for me to put into written words, exactly, the thought which I am trying to express! 😏  The first time that, I lost a loved one, with whom I was extremely close, was whenever I lost my papaw Dale (maternal grandfather) - to Cancer (Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma). 😢 The last visit that I had with him, was in the 'ICU,' at a local hospital.  I had tried - over and over again - that previously year, to make myself accept the fact that, he was dying, as I sadly observed his battle with that "demon," and, I thought that, I had!  Nevertheless, I was still shocked - whenever - my mother's voice - delivering the heartbreaking news - hit my ears, and then, my heart! 💔 I'm thankful that, 'The Good Lord,' arranged things that night, in having, one of my "best friends," Karen (bff), stay over with me!  She and papaw loved one another, too.  She was a wonderfully comforting soul to me, that, dreadful night, many other times in my life, and, continues to be - to this day! 💖 I have high hopes that - very soon, we shall be able to enjoy a visit together (and, not our last one, but, one of MANY more)!! 🙌🏼🙏🏼💗 I don't remember what was said that last visit with papaw?! 🤔 He had always been "larger than life" to me.  He was a "people person," with a jovial personality!  He loved to have fun.  He was a jokester.  I'm sure that, I told him that, I loved him. 💙 I think that, he was unable to communicate very well - at that point.  Upon leaving his room, that evening, I had hoped I would get to go back to the 'ICU,' and, see him - again and again, however, his time of departure from this earth, had already been set by our 'Sovereign - God!' 🌎🙌🏼 Had I known - that was my "last visit" (mortally speaking), with "MY," precious papaw Dale, it's safe to say that, my words, most likely, would have been, somewhat different, than what they actually were!  I dunno though?! 😔 I remember, thinking and feeling, as though, I couldn't go on living without him! 😞He had been a HUGE part of my childhood.  He died when I was a junior in high school (1981), so, I was, seventeen years old.  He had already purchased my expensive, pink, "Gone with the Wind" style (which was "in-style" then! 😳) dress, for my junior prom, and, was so happy about it! 👗😃 He really wanted to see me in it, but, sadly, he left us - before that was able to happen! 😢 Thankfully, because of God's grace, etc., I am still "alive and kicking" (able to live without him being here on earth), BUT, I am certain that, IF, there is any way in which, he is allowed to assist his "mere mortal - loved ones," down here, he is doing so! 😂 😘☺️🌎💗 It excites me to think that, we'll be reunited in Heaven (at God's set date), compliments of JESUS (WHOM, he loved) - ONE GLORIOUS DAY!! 🙌🏼💜✝️💜 Many more of my "loved ones" have "passed over" since papaw Dale's passing, and, I remember my last visit with some of them, and, I don't - with others, which, reinforces the meaning of my earlier words...that, I - consciously - TRY to remember to remind myself - whenever I'm spending time with "my people," to cherish - them, and, the time that - I am getting to visit with them, because - both - are - undoubtedly - invaluable - and - irreplaceable - GIFTS - to me - from - my 'LORD!' 🎁✝️💖 Do you, dear reader, think about such things as this?  If not, maybe this post is for you (a "wake up call," to bring this to your attention), hopefully, triggering thoughts, and, causing you to contemplate this subject matter, and then, begin - noticing and cherishing - your "loved ones," and, the time that you are granted to spend with them, more?! 😙 As we all know - we are all in the process of dying (physically speaking)!  Another thought which just popped into my mind, is that, sometimes when an ill person has been diagnosed with a disease of some kind, and even, given a "death sentence," he/she chooses to keep it private - telling nobody! 😗 Our last visit with, a person and/or people, is usually - UNBEKNOWNST - to us (this is something to seriously ponder)! 😔...🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼...✝️💖...👋🏼...until next time (hopefully)...