A Moment in My Life – Monday, August 9, 2021
Jeannie Yee Davis
“Just losing you would be too much to bear. All the things I possess can bring no happiness without you to share, and what would happen to me, darling, if you go?” This is the opening lyrics to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ beautiful song “Just Losing You” that a friend introduced to me last night. It’s a simple, poignant piece where the lyricist reflects on the depth of his love for his lover and envisions the unbearable life without her. His words hit too close to home for someone who has experienced such devotion. One where you can’t stand a second apart. One where you know that you’ll make up after a disagreement. One where everything will be all right when you’re together again. This is the kind of love many long to experience—some search their whole life for it but never find it—others do but don’t realize what they have until it’s too late. Then, there’s me, one who had it, appreciated it and lost it. This song sent me down memory lane to the ordinary days with my honey of waking up to his sweet face and doing nothing and everything together, just the simple fact we were together—a life I couldn’t imagine without him in it.
Here it is, my new reality—life without him in it, but he is always nearby where his spirit watches over me. I feel his presence as he guides me through the life that he longed for me—a happy slower life. We complemented each other so well, yet we couldn’t be more different in this one area. He was the master of taking time for each moment, while I was the Flash, always in a hurry to get to the next thing. After all, I have a lot to do and little time to do it in. He never gave up on me as he illustrated by his example the importance of enjoying the moment.
As I listen to this song, I appreciate what it means to stop and smell the roses more than ever before. Flowers are beautiful, but they wither and die. If I wait to smell the roses, they may not be there when I am ready. It’s the same with people. People are here for a flicker. Life changes, and people move away or move on to greener pastures. The old saying that you should tell someone how you feel before it’s too late is spot-on. The other day, I kept running into a casual friend whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. It caught me off guard, not expecting the chance meeting, but after seeing him, I realized that I appreciated his kindness towards me over the years, and I planned to tell him that the next time I saw him. I was too late, our paths suddenly stopped crossing, and I missed the opportunity to express my gratitude.
It’s never too late to let your honey know they mean the world to you. It’s never too late to begin living. The most important thing is “just do it,” as the Nike commercial says. It becomes easier. I now excel at taking long leisure walks with a calm spirit, not worrying about the next thing on my to-do list. When I am with someone, I immensely enjoy being with them where 3-4 hours vanish in a blink. Now, it all makes sense to me. I’ve been doing it all wrong. My goal has always been reaching the finish line, which is essential but not the main event. The main event is the process of getting there—taking my time and savoring each step, each experience, each person I encounter on the road to the finish line. The only time I was never in a hurry was when I was with my honey. Little did I know, that was him preparing me to live without regrets. I know he’s smiling because he finally got through to me—I’ve slowed down, and I, now, am living in the moment.
