The Other Foot

I received some wonderful advice yesterday and wanted to pass it on to all of you

If the shoe was on the other foot and you were the one who left, what would you want Willie to do?

I'd want him to embrace his emotions, embrace being human.

I'd want him to hold his family and friends tighter than he already did.

I'd want him to let himself fall apart and pick himself up again.

I'd want him to think about the cake fight on his 30th birthday and how it took hours to clean up. Even then, there were missed spots

I'd want him to think about all those nights in the carport, listening to music and talking.

I'd want him to remember when him, Tank and I would snuggle up to watch a movie.

I want him to remember picking out our pumpkins and carving them.

How he was such an artist and I was pouty cause mine looked like a six-year-old did it.

I'd want him to remember hunting for the perfect Christmas tree.

How we hiked and hiked and almost gave up getting the one we wanted because the hill was too steep. But we did. He cut it down and dragged it all the way back to the Suburban.

I'd want him to remember teaching me how to use a chainsaw and eating subway sandwiches. How he always grabbed a Maverick cup on autopilot though he already had a million in the truck.

I'd like him to remember all the Sunday drives we took especially that one to Causey.

When I drove my little red car through Avon and almost got her stuck.

But we made it and the views were worth all the suspension damage we had caused.

I'd want him to remember that trip up to Beaver, the one time we got to snowboard together. Even though I was 3 hours late and not half the boarder he was.

He never complained, helped me correct my form and always waited up.

Those are the times I'd want him to think about now.

The memories I would ask him to pull strength from.

The ones of long talks that ended in hugs.

The late nights full of love and laughs.

Those mornings when I'd make him get up because the sun was up, and I was hungry.

How he never complained, just grunted and made breakfast.

I'd want him to remember how much he meant to me and how I became a better person because of him.

I'd want him to remember all the good we had and all the things we learned.

I'd want him to take it all, move forward and do everything he could to be the best person.

Since the shoe isn't on the other foot and it is he who has left.

It's me, and us, who get to do all of that.