Time Waits for No One

I’ve been remiss in saying thank you to Celine Jeanjean for nominating me for this award awhile ago. Thank you, Celine. (Be sure to check out her blog.)

I’d also like to thank all of my readers for your continued support of this blog. Thanks for reading and commenting. Starting a blog is always a gamble. There’s no guarantee that anyone will read it one time, let alone more than once. So, thanks for stopping by.

Wondering what finally prompted my long overdue gratitude? You’ve undoubtedly heard about Robin Williams’s recent death. I’ve read many blog posts with eloquent thoughts on this tragic event. I have nothing new to add, though Robin Williams will be missed. But I’m in a pondering mood, nevertheless. This event spurs me to express my thanks for the people in my life who have offered love, support, and friendship over the years. I can’t thank you enough.

It’s sad that a death is the impetus necessary to spur me to say, “Thanks” or “I love you” or “Here is what I’ve always found delightful about you” to someone else. I’m not proud of this. I can’t help recalling my grandmother’s funeral a few years ago and how I talked to cousins I hadn’t spoken to in years. Years. Was life really that busy that I couldn’t pick up a phone or write a quick email?

It wasn’t.

We always think we’ll have enough time, don’t we, to assure our loved ones of their belovedness. How human of us. If only we would put aside our assumption that we can predict the amount of time we’ll have with each other (i.e., “we have plenty of time”), hence our putting off vocalizing how we feel. If only we would take the time to say what we think doesn’t need to be said, but always needs to be. After all, no one is a mind reader.

The people you love the most might need to hear, right now, that you’re grateful they’re in your life. You might think they should know how you feel, because you work hard to give them nice things or you make nice meals or you nag them (for their own good) to be better people. And they are better people—you’ve done your job. Now do them and yourself a favor. Tell them they’re worth all of the nagging and meal making. And maybe they’ll have a gift for you. Maybe they’ll tell you what you mean to them.

But I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that. You already regularly tell others how you feel, don’t you? But for anyone else out there who needs a little reminder, if you saw X-Men: Days of Future Past, you heard this poignant Jim Croce song, “Time in a Bottle.” It’s a reminder about time. (I also thought of the Jacksons’ song, “Time Waits for No One” too, hence the post title.)

I’m off to take my own advice. There are a lot of people in my life who could use a hug or a “thank you” right about now.

Robin Williams photo from fanpop.com. Valentine from heroeswallpapers.com.