What Are We Without The Ones We Love

Many people think that designer wear, makeup, a fresh haircut, hair did, nails done, a dream house, investments, equate to happiness. However, do those material things really make us happy? Is it for the moment or are we longing for something everlasting? These are questions that defy a general answer, it’s really an individual thing.

I remember when a dear relative of ours fell terminally ill.  He eventually passed away about three months before the pandemic officially began.  He was a wonderful individual who had family and friends who loved him and a great career that ended with a wonderful retirement. 

However, when it came to the end of his life all he wanted was family and friends close to him. He wanted to reminisce and be reminded of what was and consume the joys of what is. He wanted to hear all the noise that our family makes (laughter, whining, endless questions, music, singing and sometimes just plain old noise, lol).  When our family would visit him; I would often apologize for the loudness and he would reply “Oh, it’s alright, I don’t mind it at all.”  At the end of each visit he would ask, “When ya’ll coming back?”  What I believed would be a nuisance to him, he counted it all joy. 

He was a man with fine taste: designer clothes, the great career/retirement and the house. However, all the things he had seemed less and less important to him as the days and the final hours wound down. After his passing, we as a family had a lot of time to reflect and talk about life and the importance of it. For us, what matters most is family, we are empty without the love, joy and support that family brings.  Family travels beyond bloodlines, elevating us to our greater selves while bringing great joy. So, when you’re a part of a great one hold on tight and never let go.