Good Morning My Love
Published on
By Ricardo Gerardi
When you’re grieving, people think that the big dates are the worst to deal with. While Mother’s Day, and Kassia’s birthday were really sad because she was not (physically) around, the small things are what impact me more and what I miss the most.
I miss her beautiful smile;
I miss her approving nod when I say something to the girls;
I miss calling her from the grocery store just to confirm what I need to pick up for dinner.
I can think of many other things, however, nothing tops missing waking up by her side.
Kassia always had a positive attitude towards life. That attitude did not change after she was diagnosed with cancer, nor during her last days when the doctor’s told her there were no more treatment options. I remember that, in those days, I slept by her side every night. Whether it was an improvised bed at the hospital, or an old mattress in the little room we built for her downstairs, I never let her spend a night alone.
During that time, she did something that had (and still has) a profound impact on my life. I remember that she would wake up every morning until she could no longer speak; she would look at me, give me that beautiful smile, and say:
“Good morning my love. One more day.”
One more day. She was thankful to be with us, to be with her children, to be with me, and her friends for one more day.
Some days I hear that coming from the void. Another life lesson from Kassia. It doesn’t matter how hard life is sometimes. It doesn’t matter that 2020 was not the year we were expecting. It doesn’t matter. When I wake up in the morning, I am grateful for being here one more day.
Although I miss the small things, they are precisely what help me the most. Remembering the small things we did together and using them as inspiration and guidance. Because that’s one thing that grief cannot take away from us: our memories.
And to the void I reply:
Good morning my love.