always kiss me good-bye

i have abandonment issues. and so does Santa papaw. during the early years of our marriage we fought a lot. we just couldnt seem to make this marriage thing work for us,  on one occasion I had had enough and i walked away. papaw came to where i was and asked to talk. well there was no way I was going to let that happen. I was just to upset and tired of fighting.  papaw wrote me a note that became the cornerstone of our life. the note said" you can leave. I cant stop you. but know that I love you and before you go you have to kiss me goodbye."  do you know how hard it is to kiss someone you truly love goodbye.
. through the years that note has stayed with us. it has meant that no one leaves without a good bye kiss. no matter how upset you are dont leave without telling someone you love them. might not like their actions but love the person.
7 years ago one of my neighbors stop in to visit my daughter. she had her two little girls with her. the kids loved coming to my house cause I spoil them rotten.  the girls wanted a drink and knowing their love of pepsi ,I gave them both one. the mom said just give them koolaid it is cheaper. I ignored her and handed both girls a pepsi. as they were leaving the little one came back and hugged me and whispered I love you, thanks for the pepsi. I hugged her back and told her to come again and she could have another one. i kissed her cheek and she left. she died in a bike accident on the way home..
5 and a half years ago the world lost a good man.  dusty was my friend and began dating my daughter. they spilt up after a mean fight and I didnt see much of dusty for the next year.. we talked by phone and finally he came by the house to see us. as he was leaving I told him to never forget we loved him. two days later I talked to him by phone. as the call ended again I told him I love you. the next day i received word that my friend age 26 was killed in a car wreck. i will always be thankful that he came by the house and I had a chance to hug him and tell him he was loved.
 april 2011 was the closes I ever came to losing so many friends and loved ones especially my beautiful daughter and granddaughter.I knew the family tradition lived on when I saw her post I love you mom. and had I lost my daughter that day I could rest assured knowing the last words I spoke to her was I love you. the tornado took so many lives but it also brought many people together. I always told my family I loved them but what about the friends who mean so much. .