NEVER TAKE A BETTER HALF FOR GRANTED

Sometimes, we take people for granted.
A few Saturday’s ago, I was sleeping off a double dose of Nyquil in efforts to get rid of a sinus funk.
Better Half had muttered something about going to the bank and to the carwash. In my warped state of mind, I only heard half of it and went back to sleep.
This was around 9 a.m.
I woke up around one o’clock and began to replay the hazy, dream-like memory when Better Half had left. I thought, "A bank trip and car wash shouldn’t have taken more than an hour at most'.
 But, I  knew there was no cause to  start smacking Better Half’s photo on milk cartons. I had been thru this before, and figured that this was just another occasion where some lucky retailer was enjoying the fruits of a credit card that I would spend the rest of my natural life paying off .
But still--I wanted to know so I called the cell phone. No answer.
Once again, I had nothing to panic about. Anyone on Earth can dial that number and it’s answered. But if I call it, the phone’s owner is suddenly struck deaf, blind, and unable to feel the vibrations it emits.
So, I treated myself to a fresh handkerchief, and clicked on the TV.
More time drifted by. I began to feel the tiny bit of worry slowly infiltrate my mind. Once again, I tried the phone- no answer again.
So, I made my way to the kitchen to find a soda. What I found was Better Half’s phone, lying on the counter, beeping away with my missed phone calls.
Now, I hate to admit this, but I am a 100%, died in the wool, card carrying, worry wart! And it’s only worsened when the situation is ripe for such.
This situation was so ripe it was rotten.
Horrible visions of car wrecks, kidnappings, and drive by shootings went thru my brain and an empty feeling blossomed in my gutt. Dread flooded my heart as I realized how devastating it would be without my soul mate. I have so much around me that I take for granted.
Some folks are couples, but they don’t see each other that much. Though I know there are exceptions to all the rules, some of them prefer it that way. They aren’t really close, they aren’t really attached to each other and, well hell, most aren’t even friends.
That’s not us.
We spend 99.9% of our waking hours together: in the car, at home, with the babies, with friends, or just alone together. Much love and peace comes from our union. I have no life without that other part of me that shares every part of my existence.
What would I do without my Better Half?
It was a question I had no answer for.
Suddenly, the back door opened and the dogs went to welcome the lost sheep back to the fold.
I did what any one else in my situation would have done at that moment: gave Better Half a long hug, and then launched into a lecture about worrying me to half to death and leaving the cell phone at home.
I hate it when I open my mouth and Momma’s voice comes out.

The MORALS of this story:

Always leave a note when you leave loved ones drugged out of their minds.

ALWAYS carry a cell phone (CHARGED) in case someone is frantically trying to contact you and establish the fact you are still amoung the living.

Most importantly: Never take something for granted just because it's always there. You never know what you got ---until you think it might be gone.