One Last Goodbye
We drove to the cemetery, our hearts heavy. The night watchman let us in, and by flashlight, we walked to her grave.
My father knelt down, gently running his hand over her tombstone. He prayed. Then, he turned to us, his children, and spoke with a depth of love we had never fully understood until that moment.
“You know nothing about love,” he began softly, “until you’ve spent a lifetime with someone.”
His voice trembled, but he kept going.
“We went through everything together. We survived tough times. We moved when I changed jobs. We cried together when loved ones passed. We sat in hospital waiting rooms, holding hands, praying for good news. We celebrated holidays, forgave each other’s mistakes, and built a life—together.”
He paused, wiping his eyes.
“And now, she’s gone. But I’m happy.”
We looked at him, shocked.
“Do you know why?” he continued. “Because she left first. She never had to suffer the pain of burying me, of living alone without me. That pain is mine to carry—and I thank God for it. I love her so much, I wouldn’t have wanted her to endure that kind of grief.”
Tears streamed down our faces. We hugged him. But he was the one who comforted us.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “We can go home now. It’s been a good day.”
What True Love Really Means
That night, I finally understood what love is.
It’s not just romance. It’s not just passion.
Real love is showing up—every single day. It’s sacrifice, forgiveness, partnership, and devotion. It’s staying through every hardship and choosing each other, over and over again.
True love is wanting your person to be okay—even if it means you’re the one left behind.
