Say the things you mean to say, do the things you mean to do

Today's post was supposed to have been of the type that normally appears in this space: Silly, maybe slightly funny, but ultimately inconsequential. That is, after all, what we do here three days a week.

But then I realized it felt inappropriate to post anything that wasn't somewhat serious and heartfelt less than 24 hours after Terry and I lost the last of our parents.

My father-in-law Tom passed away yesterday quite unexpectedly. He certainly wasn't in the best of health in recent years, but to the end he was stubborn enough and certainly robust enough to be driving himself around and doing the things he wanted to do, if maybe a bit slower than he used to.

How he died doesn't really matter, though suffice it to say his heart (which was always three sizes bigger than anyone else's) finally gave out.

My own heart aches for my wife and her siblings, and for my kids. Even if they and their grandfather didn't always see eye to eye on everything – really, what combination of humans ever do? – they knew he loved them. They knew he was goofy Grandpa Ross, always ready with a laugh, a corny joke and a loving greeting.

The only point to make today is one you already know, but one that often escapes our notice until a loved one is suddenly gone.

It is this: Do not hesitate to tell the people you care about that you care about them. Do not delay doing the things with them you mean to do. Do not let them leave this life with any doubt that they had a wonderfully positive effect on you.

You don't need me to tell you this, but I tell you anyway because I need to hear it more than anyone else. Once someone is gone, they're gone. The only chance you have is right now. In this life, tomorrow is never, ever guaranteed.

That's all. It's not new, it's not groundbreaking, but it's true.

I promise I'll try my best not to forget it. I hope you will, too.

(For what it's worth, I appreciate you coming here and reading these posts. Just in case I forgot to tell you before.)