If something's worth doing eventually, it's worth doing immediately

Last Sunday my family gathered in the family room to plan the upcoming week. With people coming and going at different times, attending various holiday events, and meeting with friends, there was a lot to discuss. We all wanted to go up to Colorado (just a 2-hour drive) to visit with my grandparents. It turned out we had two days free for that: Monday (the very next morning) and then Saturday (the day after Christmas). We decided to go that next morning, realizing that we knew that day was free, while it was very likely something might come up making Saturday not free for us.

We went up and visited with Grandma. She's been taking care of Grandpa for the last few years while Grandpa has gradually gotten older and able to do less and less. When I went last year, his hearing was gone and he'd lost his interest in reading. He didn't talk very much, except to bless the food at dinner. So he just sat and watched whoever/whatever was going on. He was getting more and more dependent on Grandma for his basic needs, and gratefully, her health allowed her to take care of him. On Monday when we went to visit, Grandpa stayed in bed almost the entire time we were there. He'd just recently stopped feeding himself, and when he finally did get up and visit us in the living room, he didn't seem to notice us there at first. He did perk up when he saw us, and he smiled at everyone for a little bit. When we put Penny on his lap, he smiled at her and said a little something to her.

I'm very glad we visited Grandpa last week. Yesterday we found out that Grandpa had died. And while it wasn't untimely or entirely unexpected, it is still sad. I am happy, though, that we didn't wait until yesterday to see him. I am happy he got to meet Penny. And I am happy that Grandma gets to rest from her work of taking care of Grandpa.I'm very sad that Grandpa's gone. I feel like the last several times I've gone to see him I've had to say goodbye a little bit at a time. So while 92 is a very good age to live to, it's hard to say goodbye at last. I know I'll get to see him on the other side and he'll be bright and cheery as ever. But I plan on waiting a while before I get there, and I'll miss him before then.