Dear Keith: It Was Only Last Year

This picture was taken in May 2006 at Keith's Wedding. This is the last posed shot we have of the four of us together. I had been trying to figure out a way to get together to do one of those Mother's Day Photo Shoots for the local paper, but it never ended up working. So this is what we have. It is hard to believe that just one short year ago, this was still us. We could have recreated this. Keith was still here one year ago today. Little did we know that it would be his last full day here on Earth. It is very difficult to swallow that Keith has been gone almost one full year. Today also brings my biggest regret. You see the night before his last night, so earlier morning on Sept 24, 2011 I messaged both Chris and heather, and didn't message Keith. The sad part of this, is that it wasn't abnormal. As we've grown older heather and I have become closer and talked much more frequently, so I posted on her Facebook wall that I missed him and loved her. Then Chris I messaged him on Facebook to tell him that he should come to visit me. I could have easily messaged Keith, but I didn't have anything to say. I could have told him to visit me, but he probably wouldn't have. We didn't talk much outside of family gatherings and holidays.

I know that I could have never known that it would have been my last chance to tell him that I loved him, but it is still one of my biggest regrets. I just have to hope and pray that Keith knew that I loved him. From this I have learned to say and do everything that can be done today, because tomorrow is not promised to anyone. It may be the last chance you get to to say it or do it.

A year ago and it still feels so damn fresh. So instead of writing a lot here, I am just going to add some photos.