The Things I Miss the Most

Somebody once said, "You never know how good you had it until it is gone." 

I believe I now understand what that statement means. The older I get, the more I find myself missing things. I am not talking about "tangible things," I am talking about special moments or events in my daily life that always brought a sense a happiness, peace, comfort, or joy. In today's post, I want to capture a few of those moments. Some I have mentioned before in other posts, but I still feel it is necessary to list them because of their importance to me.

I really miss …

… walking hand-in-hand with my wife. It was always intimate one-on-one time for us.

… sitting next to my wife, while holding hands, on a couch, in a movie theater, or in a booth. Even after being married for several years, people would comment that we looked like newlyweds because we always sat next to each other and held hands.

… a good hug. Hugs today require me to remain focused on standing and not on supporting the person I am hugging. Or, if I am in the wheelchair, it means the other person has to lean over and somehow find a way to perform the hug.

… picking up a child. There is something special about holding a child in your arms. Today, the child has to be placed in my lap when I am sitting down. I also miss lifting them above my head or spinning them around in circles while both of us laugh.

… hiking. My wife and I loved to hike. Until my late forties, we spent probably two weekends a month hiking. Whether it was hiking on the slopes of Mount Rainier, the Giant Redwood Forest, Kings Canyon, on a remote beach in Hawaii, or a nature trail on Assateague Island, we found great joy and peace in these natural surroundings. I always said it was our way of communing with nature. Hiking was as much a part of our lives as anything.

… playing racquetball and tennis. These were great stress relievers, a good workout, and excellent social opportunities for both of us.

… sailing. There was something special about sunset sails on the Puget Sound or weekend sails through the San Juan Islands. I cannot really explain what the feeling of wind power does for me, but if you sail then you know what I mean.

… helping family, neighbors and friends with their weekend projects. The camaraderie is electrifying and you feel so good afterwards.

… acting spontaneously (without thinking things through). For example, being able to just jump in the car and go somewhere for the weekend (getting lost as we called it). There was something special (adventurous) about just taking off without regard as to where we would end up and not worrying about whether the next restroom is handicap accessible.

As I mentioned, there is nothing tangible in the list above. They are just moments in time that made up the life that we so thoroughly enjoyed. Yes, we have learned to accept their loss, but that does not mean we were ready to give them up. Fortunately, we have many wonderful stories, photos, and memories of our adventures together.

I would be curious as to what you find yourself missing. Have you been able to substitute something that helps minimize that sense of loss? Please provide your thoughts in the comment section below. As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

I will leave you with my thought for the day. "Appreciate what you have and take nothing for granted ... because you never really know how good you had it until it is gone."