THE WISH – A LIVING EULOGY

I believe we all know at least one person whose life has been affected by Cancer. I literally know a couple whose lives have. They are my brother & sister in-law whom I’ve known since I was a teenager, and who I remember telling me about their plans to marry; that was nearly forty years ago.

They have since become two wonderful people in their late fifties who always worked hard to make ends meet, done a little traveling, just built their dream home and were about to start enjoying the fruits of their labor when they were hit with absolutely devastating news.

My brother in-law was diagnosed with kidney Cancer and my sister in-law with terminal Glioblastoma. As you can well imagine this was a crippling thing for them to find out, not to mention so extremely heartbreaking and upsetting to hear.

As a result, I began thinking about the highly publicized suicides of Anthony Bourdain & Kate Spade, and had to ask myself the following question. How could two very healthy and successful people take their own lives?

I also couldn’t help but wonder if either one would still be here, had they actually known through a living eulogy just how well loved and valued they were, and as a result more closely weighed the dreams, joys, struggles, hopes and fears of this life; before taking their own.

Now, although my brother-law's Cancer is in remission, unfortunately my sister in-law passed away on March 12th, 2019, but before she did I wrote; “The Wish” for a two people who have meant the world to me.

My wish is to have never written this, but my hope is that its message encourages others to tell those they love just how much they are valued while they are still here! Who knows you may even save a life.

The Wish

I wish; I could go back in time and change the way things are;
I’d do it in a heartbeat, if we hadn’t come so far.

We’ve lived our dreams.
And although it seems unfair that we should ever part.
I couldn’t change things if I wanted.
We knew that from the start.

We were so very young when we begun;
The struggle to make ends meet.
Just as everyone does, it’s the way it is and was.

How fast it went; the time we spent;
The laughter, tears, hopes and fears.
So many good years and lean;
All the places we have seen.

The chances taken, tried and times we cried.
Our family and friends who cared;
And the love they shared.

The wish, it would seem isn’t to change what’s been.
It’s to live each day without regret,
As we have since we first met.

©2018 Richard Lawrence Belford

"To the world, you may be one person,
but to one person you may be the world.”

~ Dr. Seuss ~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Lawrence Belford is an Inspirational Writer, a father of two daughters and the eldest of three sons who grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He has been on a twenty-year creative journey that’s been fueled by his genuine desire to provide faith, comfort and hope to those in grief. This creative journey has not only allowed Richard to become a well published Inspirational Writer, but has also afforded him the privilege of sharing his universally heartfelt sentiments with others, sentiments that celebrate life, provide comfort, inspire faith and honor the memory of those dear to our hearts.