Some dates on the calendar are just dates. They come and go, year after year, without much thought.
And then there are those dates that become woven into the very fabric of our lives. Dates that hold memories, milestones, celebrations, heartbreak, and love.
For me, March 14th is one of those dates.
It is a date that has been bittersweet for years and years. A date that continues to find its way into my heart, my family, and my life in ways I could never have imagined.
March 14th. A day of love. A day of memories. And now, a day of goodbye.
My first connection to this date goes back to my amazing grandmother – my MomMom.
Oh, how I loved that woman.
She was born on March 14th, more than 100 years ago. She was a woman who devoted so many years of her life to caring for my Pap as he battled Alzheimer’s disease. She knew what commitment meant. To stand beside someone when life was anything but easy. To give of herself, day after day, because that is simply what love does.
It has been more than 30 years since she passed away.
And I still miss her. Every. Single. Day.
Time has a way of moving forward, whether our hearts are ready or not. But love? Love doesn’t disappear with time. Neither do the memories.
Then, as the years passed, March 14th continued to weave itself into our family’s story.
Another family member was married on this date.
Another extra-special family member became engaged on this date.
Celebrations of love. Promises of forever. Beautiful new chapters beginning.
And each time, I found myself thinking about how remarkable it was that this one date could hold so much meaning for the people I love.
But today, March 14, 2026, another chapter was written.
And this one has left my heart aching.
This afternoon, a beautiful, sweet soul who had found such an incredibly special place in my heart over these past months took her final breath.
And I was there.
Right beside her.
I have never witnessed someone take their last breath before.
Until today.
And I am struggling to find the words to describe what that experience does to your heart.
There is something so incredibly profound about being present when a life on this earth comes to an end.
One moment, someone you have grown to love is still here.
And then…
They are gone.
The finality of that moment is almost impossible to comprehend.
I already feel the emptiness.
The visits that had become highlights of my week will no longer happen. The time spent together, the little moments, the connection that grew so naturally over these past months… all of it has become something I will now carry in my heart instead of looking forward to on my calendar.
And that hurts.
Really hurts …. an ache in my heart.
We sometimes meet people who, in a relatively short amount of time, leave an imprint on our hearts that will last the rest of our lives.
She was one of those people.
I didn’t need decades of knowing her to recognize how special she was. I didn’t need a lifetime of memories to grow to love her.
Sometimes, God places someone in our path for a season, and that season becomes a gift we never knew we needed.
She was a gift.
And today, I had to say goodbye.
But here’s where the emotions become so overwhelming.
Because somewhere between the sadness, the tears, and the heartbreak…
There was peace.
A beautiful, comforting sense of peace.
She is whole again.
She has no more pain.
Her mind is healed.
There is no more confusion. No more suffering. No more limitations that this earthly life placed upon her.
And perhaps the most beautiful part of all?
She has been reunited with the love of her life.
Ooooooh, how that thought brings tears to my eyes.
Seventy-two years of marriage!
Just imagine that.
Seventy-two years of loving one another. Building a life together. Sharing ordinary days and extraordinary moments. Facing challenges, celebrating blessings, and growing older side by side.
Seventy-two years of being each other’s person.
And then, a little more than three months ago, they were separated by death.
Three months.
To some, that may not seem like a long time.
But to two lovebirds who had spent 72 years together?
I imagine those three months felt like an eternity.
And today…
Their separation ended.
I cannot help but picture him waiting for her.
Standing there with those loving, welcoming arms stretched wide.
Perhaps with the biggest smile imaginable.
And I can almost hear him saying, “There you are. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Ooooooh, what a Joyous reunion that must have been!
No more separation.
No more loneliness.
No more goodbyes.
Just love.
The kind of love that doesn’t end when our time on earth is over.
And while my heart is breaking over losing her, I find such incredible comfort in believing that today was not simply the end of her earthly life.
It was the beginning of their forever together again.
And then my thoughts wander even further.
Because I believe that someday, when my own journey on this earth is complete, I will see this extra-special couple again.
And my grandparents.
Oh, my precious grandparents, whom I miss more than words could ever explain.
I believe they are all waiting in that beautiful Heavenly Home.
And I have to smile through my tears when I imagine them together.
I wonder…
Have they already met?
Are they sitting together, sharing stories …. about ME????
Are they laughing about the things I have said or done?
Are they comparing stories about the years we shared here on earth?
I can only hope so.
What a beautiful thought that is.
And what comfort it brings to a heart that feels so heavy tonight.
Because while I am left here missing them, I believe they are surrounded by a love and peace greater than anything we can comprehend.
So here I sit, reflecting on March 14th.
A grandmother’s birthday.
A wedding anniversary.
A beautiful engagement.
And now, the day a precious soul left this earth to be reunited with the man she loved for 72 years.
One date.
So many emotions.
So many memories.
So much love.
And yes, so much heartbreak.
Life truly is a rollercoaster of emotions, isn’t it?
We celebrate beginnings while still grieving endings. We smile at memories while tears roll down our cheeks. We thank God for the people He places in our lives, even when we know loving them means someday having to say goodbye.
And somehow, through it all, our hearts find room to keep loving.
Tonight, I am reminded that the greatest gifts in life aren’t things we can purchase, wrap in pretty paper, or place on a shelf.
They are people.
They are moments.
They are conversations, visits, hugs, laughter, and the quiet privilege of simply being present.
And sometimes, they are the sacred moments when we are given the opportunity to sit beside someone as they take their final breath.
I will never forget this afternoon.
I will never forget her.
And I will never look at March 14th quite the same way again.
Which brings me to one final thought…
I wonder what March 14, 2027, will bring?
Another celebration?
Another milestone?
Another beautiful memory?
Another unexpected chapter?
Only God knows.
But if the years have taught me anything, it is that we have absolutely no idea how deeply one date, one person, or one moment can change our lives.
So love your people.
Make sure they are seen.
Sit a little longer.
Listen to their stories, even if you’ve heard them a hundred times.
Tell them how much they mean to you.
Because someday, those ordinary moments may become the most extraordinary memories you possess.
And as for March 14th…
You will forever hold a special place in my heart.
You have brought me joy, celebration, precious memories, tears, heartbreak, and now a deeper understanding of the beauty of eternal love.
You have reminded me that life is fragile, that time is precious, and that love is worth every tear we shed when someone leaves us.
March 14th, you continue to fill my life with love and emotion.
And even through the heartbreak, I am grateful.
Grateful for the people.
Grateful for the memories.
Grateful for the privilege of loving and being loved.
And grateful for my faith that tells me…
Goodbye on earth does not have to mean goodbye forever.
Until we meet again.
With all my love…..
gussiewrites.com
