Live for Today

On February 19, 2009 a friend of mine lost her husband.  He didn't wake up one morning and she was left, a grieving widow, with an 11-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.  It made quite an impression on me.  I began to ponder my relationship with my little family and the gratitude I feel in having them in my life each day.  I realized that while I know we can be together as a family I would be a fool to take that for granted and to not enjoy each minute I get with the people I care about most.  I began to understand that while we can be together forever we need to build the relationships that will make us want to be together forever while we're here in mortality.  I started thinking in terms of how I could build my relationship with my husband and each child; I started watching how other wives and mothers built their relationships so I could learn.

My friend's heartache prompted real personal growth for me. 

I love these stanzas from this poem:

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 could spare an extra minute,
to stop and say, "I LOVE YOU", Instead of assuming you would know I do.

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.

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.

I don't know the author's name and this is just part of the poem.