Auld Lang Syne! Or, two minute warning!

I still remember the last time I saw my dad alive!

He was sitting in his easy chair in the family room, as usual, and I just gave him a casual wave as I went by, not realizing that this would be the last time I would ever see him again!

He died about an hour later of heart failure on the sidewalk in front of the emergency department of Sarnia General.

I like to think that if there was any justice in this world God would tell us when we were seeing a person for the last time so that we could attach a little more meaning to those causal goodbyes that we throw around every day!

For some strange reason I sometimes find myself wondering what ever happened to a guy I knew back in Toronto whose name is Rick Lauzon.

I lost touch with him over the years and have absolutely no idea where he is now or what he is doing!

Matter of fact, Rick is not the only person I sometimes think about.

There is also Bruce, a friend who got cancer and was very sick the last time I saw him.

In spite of him being so sick, it somehow never entered my mind that I would not see him again, so I didn't get that last chance to say a proper goodbye!

Lots of other former friends and acquaintances drift through my mind every now and then as well..........., both old lovers and loved ones!

Where are they now?

What happened to them?

Did they have a good life, or bad?

We lose track of people, or just plain lose them all too often!

Any chance to say those final words would be worth all the gold in the world!

It wouldn't even have to be a big production or anything.....!

What the hell, even a little hug would be better than nothing!

And while we are on the subject, why not something like a two minute warning when our time is up as well!

Nothing too spectacular you know, maybe just a discrete little "ding" inside our head to let us know it's time to get ready!

Is that asking too much?

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J R B. said;
Wish we could find out about the folks that influenced our lives. I know many have died. I called my friend one afternoon, to have her daughter answer the phone. It seems that my friend was busy dying at that moment.

Donald Hawley said;
Allan: Good thoughts. When I was called to the hospital where my dad had been for several months, I had some foreboding. When I arrived on the ward and saw people looking at me, I knew it was not good news. He had died, of course. I went in to see him for the last time and ignored the preacher who was sitting in a chair across from the bed. Finally, I leaned over and kissed him on the mouth, the first time I had ever done such a thing, and said, "Daddy, I love you." That was it. I was raised that way. Later I related this to my eldest son and to this day he never misses chance to tell me that he loves me on a daily basis and whenever we meet or part, he kisses me on the lips. Tradition and social expectations tend to shape our lives more than our own hearts.

Thanks again.


Allan W Janssen is the author of the book The Plain Truth About God (What the mainstream religions don't want you to know!) and is available as an E-Book H E R E! and H E R E! And as a paperback H E R E ! and H E R E !