IF I KNEW.....

The letter from the Pastor’s Desk in our church bulletin had me in tears on the way home today….so I thought I would share.

In honor of Christopher (Mike's brother who left us all too early) on the day to remember…..hoping it not only brings you to tears as well but that God somehow inspires actions in all of us!

Dear Friends,

As I read the following “If I Knew,” by George Michael Grossman, I thought about the words of Stephen
Grellet: “I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer it for I shall not pass this way again.” So often we procrastinate.

How often have you attended a funeral with regret that you had not said what needed to be said weeks,
months or years before – but now it is too late? Maybe you’ve regretted not tearing down the wall you had kept up for so long and usually for an inconsequential reason in the first place? How often have we been slow in justcshowing appreciation to another? Or simply telling another that you love them? My grandmother had a favorite expression: “Give me my flowers while I am living.”- say the nice things now. Perhaps the following lines are so poignant for me because of a funeral this past Tuesday for a 35 year old woman killed in a car accident. What I am certain of is that life is all too short and some of us are too stingy sharing our love and appreciation for others.

How easy to take people for granted- even within our own family. The following is food for thought for all of us.

If I Knew

by Norma Cornett Marek

If I knew it would be the last time

that I'd see you fall asleep,

I would tuck you in more tightly

and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time

that I see you walk out the door,

I would give you a hug and kiss

and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time

I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,

I would video tape each action and word,

so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,

I could spare an extra minute

to stop and say "I love you,"

instead of assuming you would know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time

I would be there to share your day,

Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,

so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow

to make up for an oversight,

And we always get a second chance

to make everything just right.

There will always be another day

to say "I love you,"

And certainly there's another chance

to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,

and today is all I get,

I'd like to say how much I love you

and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,

young or old alike,

And today may be the last chance

you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,

why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes,

you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time

for a smile, a hug, or a kiss

And you were too busy to grant someone,

what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,

and whisper in their ear,

Tell them how much you love them

and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Thank you,"

"Please forgive me," or "It's okay."

And if tomorrow never comes,

you'll have no regrets about today!