Urban Dictionary defines “my person” as “the one that gets me. The one that sees what no one else bothers to. The one willing to understand past relationship issues that cause a female/male not to want a label. They are trusting, kind, forgiving, and never afraid to show love.The one that calls me out on my shit. The one that keeps me in check without a label. He/she is the perfect match to my crazy.,,”

Who is your person? My person was my go-to, the one who supported me through nursing school, the one who didn’t have a lot of money but would loan me their last $10, the one that would listen to me vent when they may have had a bigger problem yet never seemed to complain, the one that would tell me good morning every morning and good night every night, the one that made sure he told me he loved me every single day (and sometimes multiple times), the one that finished my sentences, the one I would try out a show with (that maybe I wasn’t that interested in) but did it because I would do anything for him, and the one who would run errands with me just to spend time with me.

You may have noticed that I spoke of my person in the past tense. My person passed away unexpectedly on May 25, 2021. He was in the hospital for a separate issue – in the CCU with a very elevated blood sugar, but we had hope. It had come down to 240 that morning and it seemed things were going in the right direction. Then, boom, a pulmonary embolism happened. He died on a Tuesday. I wasn’t able to see him or talk to him while he was in the hospital due to COVID and not being on his contact list (only his son was). I called several times and wasn’t allowed to speak with him and was even told once that he wasn’t there! We had texted a couple of things on Sunday morning. He slept all day Sunday, not having felt well, and I didn’t bother him because I knew he hadn’t felt well lately. By early Monday, he was being taken to the ER. Little did I know, I would never see him nor speak to him again.

Now, I question myself. Did I tell him enough how much I loved him? Did we spend enough time together? We had a nine year relationship – should we have just gone all in and gotten married by now? Did I take him for granted? Was I too busy sometimes? Could I have done more to advocate for his health and even possibly prevented his death? I guess I will never know for sure. Fortunately, I have letters and little post it notes that tell me how he felt about me and how happy I made him. I have pictures where you can see the happiness in our eyes and smiles, of course. We truly made a difference in each other’s lives. He made my life better. He helped me to appreciate the little things. It’s still hard to see my future without him; we had so many plans. We both have always had strong relationships with God and, so I know, he’s in Heaven watching over me and that he has always just wanted me to be happy. I am comforted knowing he is where he is and that he is in the best mental and physical health imaginable! One day, I will be right there with him.

I ask you again – who is your person? Do you have one? If you do, WONDERFUL; if you don’t, find one! It doesn’t have to be a boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other; it can be your best friend, sibling, or parent. Whoever it is, tell them every single day how you feel. Don’t hold back; you never know when will be the last time you can tell them in person. Find that person who will enrich your life and make you appreciate the little things.

“The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.” ~ Proverbs 27:9 NLT