Good-bye and rest in peace

Mark with Adelynn in February

 

My aunt's boyfriend, Mark passed away last Friday morning after a long battle with cancer.  I was driving him to one of his treatments when he started talking with me about the pain and the suffering that goes along with treatment.  Not having gone through it myself, I wasn't going to tell him that it would get better or that I was sure it wasn't more than he could handle.  Instead, I just listened because that seemed to be the best thing at the time.

I had intended to visit him that Friday.  I've been told he wouldn't have known me even if he'd made it that long.  Still, I would have liked to have said good-bye.  Something about missing that chance seems wrong, even though I'm sure he would have laughed at the idea of my concern.

I'm left thinking that life is full of unexpected turns and that you shouldn't take those closest to you for granted.  If nothing else, maybe we'll might treat each other with a little more consideration with that in mind.