Don’t Wait to Tell People How You Feel About Them

Don’t Wait to Tell People How You Feel About Them

During the pandemic, we stopped hugging, offering handshakes, and stayed away from people. We were able to hug members of our immediate family because we were sharing the same air and germs anyway. But other than that, being with others was essentially banned, leaving us feeling disconnected. Separate from the world, and empty inside. The reasons were understandable, but the exchange of energy during a hug is what keeps us connected and warms us from the inside out. We need hugs to feel safe and secure, but the pandemic made that difficult and its effects remain. Fear of Covid is not gone and it’s likely to be around for a while.

Did You Make Exceptions?

For the most part, we obeyed the rules, but exceptions were made and mine was Anna, a young woman who graced my life beginning in August of 2019 – just before the beginning of Covid-19. When I met Anna, she was a breast cancer survivor and cancer-free. I can still see her beautiful smile, hear love in her voice when she spoke of family, and envision the mischievousness in her eyes, especially when she spoke of her brothers, nieces, and nephew. Over the next three and a half years, I got to know Anna well. Anna was special, but looking back, I sensed that the day I met her. Anna was a gift. Someone you had to hug, or you’d miss out on something BIG.

Cancer Puts Things in Perspective

As a cancer survivor, Anna had a deep understanding of what was important. What mattered and what was extraneous. Her life was her family – her beloved husband, parents, siblings, nieces, nephew, in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, and her dear friends. Anna loved to take care of them and make them smile. She was generous, loyal, protective, and kind. But her kind heart didn’t hinder her ability to draw a hard line in the sand when necessary. Through Anna’s stories, I got to know her family and grew to love them too.

Have You Lost Someone?

In May, at the age of 42, Anna lost her relentless and courageous battle with breast cancer, and as I grieved her, I realized how much her death stirred up painful memories of my sister, Ruth Ann, who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 36. I understand the pain Anna’s siblings now endure because I’ve lived it. Watching Ruth Ann suffer was devastating, and the trauma caused from watching her die at such a young age remains difficult to overcome.

Try to Remember Good Times

Anna’s death stirred up painful memories, but it also helped me remember good times. Ruth Ann was the oldest and I was the youngest, yet we had similar interests. Ruth Ann sparked my first interest in horses, and they became a huge part of my life. Shortly after I brought my first horse home, I cried because Ruth Ann would have loved him. Now, I smile when I think about Ruth Ann keeping him company and riding him in heaven.

Tell People How Much They Mean to You

I’m so glad Anna and I tossed “air hugs” out the window, hugged each other for real, and told each other how much we meant to one another. My life is richer because Anna was in it. My prayer for Anna’s family is that the memories that now painfully tug at their hearts, will eventually bring them comfort and help them smile with love, admiration, and pride because they all played a role in nurturing her beautiful heart and soul.

Until next time,

Jean AKA The Strategic Chicken - Making life’s journey one strategic step at a time