One year ago today

One year ago today, I was sitting in your hospital room.  I showed you a video of your first granddaughter cooing in her crib while she gazes in awe at the four lions turning slowly to Brahms lullaby above her head.  You were so tired that you could not open your eyes anymore, but I know you heard and imagined her in your head.  One year ago today, I looked at your body, no longer familiar to me as the muscular arms that once threw me up in the air, sent waves of pool water over my head and hugged me close to your heart, were now skinny and long as if the bones lengthened.  One year ago today I listened to your struggled breathing and hoped it would stop, for your sake, for our sake, for my sake, and then I nearly died myself when your breath hitched and I was sure it was the end.  One year ago today, I prayed that you would die when mom and I had fallen asleep.  One year ago today, you entered my dreams as a young man and let me know without saying a word that everything will be alright for us, for mom, for me. 

I am a mess.  Thank gosh I am a mess.  I havent had the time to cry or mourn you.  I havent given myself the time to mourn you.  I didn't allow myself to mourn you.  I tell myself that it is because I have accepted the grand plan.  If you hadn't died, mom would not be living with us, and I would not have had the help I needed at the end of my second pregnancy, and beginning of your second grand baby's life.  If you hadn't died, you would get to see how wonderful my girls are.  If you hadn't died,  if you hadn't, if you, if........

I miss you and I don't.  I fee like I don't know how to miss you.  If I miss someone I call them, or visit.  I miss you and I can't do either, so I just stop thinking about you.  I think of you in the past tense.  The future hasn't come so how can I miss you for then?  My present is full of life, of new beginnings, so how can I miss you now?

And now, I have to try to turn off my pain. Stop it up with responsibility and sleep.  I have two baby girls to take care of tomorrow.  Rock them to sleep tonight so that I may sleep soundly.

Love you