Regret

We were cousins and had grown up Close friends, living not far apart. When I was nine and he was eight, (His sister and my brothers were younger) We were going to get married Some day and have ten children, Ten dogs, ten cats, and ten horses. We played on the park playground (He broke his arm falling from a swing). We climbed trees, played card games And board games and soldiers, and In summer our mothers and we Cousins took the long trek by train And boat to swim at Nantasket Beach One day my father found a new job, And we moved away, far from home As we had always known it. My cousins also moved away, To another, farther place, so For years we saw each other only On holidays or special occasions. Although we weren’t strangers, We were never really that close again. We grew older, married new sweethearts, And started families of our own. Of course we always made promises On Christmas cards, “We really MUST Get our families together this year!” But it seemed only funerals or weddings, A 90th birthday, or a 50th anniversary Would find us once again together, Reminiscing about the “good old days” When we were all children, and We were oblivious, and time Seemed to stretch ahead into infinity. We have lived nearer to each other In the last few decades, but days And years have drifted by. Often we’ve Put off visiting ’til “tomorrow”. Now we are grandparents, even great Grandparents, we and our spouses Suddenly surprised with health issues. And so we wake to find tomorrow Is not always a possible option! Finally, next week, I WILL travel - It’s not so far - to visit with my cousin, His sister passed on, wife in the hospital. He is not well, and she will not, He tells me, leave the hospital. Why, as years go by, do we always Assume an endless supply of time? We toss off, “See you next week”, Or “We’ll get together next summer!” But can we ever be sure of that? Forget the excuses! Do it now! We most regret the things we didn’t do! CODA We had finally made new plans to travel, At last, to see my cousin Don And, possibly, even his wife, Ginny. We had bought the ferry tickets. But the night before, a storm came up And forced us to cancel our trip. --------------------------- Tomorrow I will go to his funeral.