The holidays are right around the corner, and I challenge you all to look beyond the surface level concept of gift-giving and material things by cherishing the one thing that Amazon can’t ship you: time with your loved ones. I know, not everyone has a “family” to visit for the holidays and coming from someone who believes that blood isn’t thicker than water, whoever matters in your life should be reminded of that. And I know life can move fast; however, it is nonetheless short and we cannot forget it.

Anyone who knows me well knows that my Grandpa is the apple of my eye, and I dread the day I’ll have to discuss political elections without him. This thought doesn’t come to mind until I notice how my Grandpa gets up a little slower every time I visit home from college. It wasn’t until recently that I was forced to grapple with reality. We were on our way back to Texas from Oklahoma, where my family is from, when we decided to stop at a diner for a bite to eat.

It was over dinner, during a heated political conversation, that my heart dropped into my stomach when I realized the light blue ring around his pupils showed his age. I immediately broke down crying, begging him to stay on this Earth with me forever. He simply chuckled and offered an honest yet comforting answer, “I won’t be here forever, but I’ll always be with you; watching you give ‘em hell.” My eyes haven’t yet dried.

So why am I sharing my breakdown at a roadside diner with you? Because helping my mom cut the pumpkin pie or pick vegetables out of my Grandpa’s garden are moments I’ll never be able to order online or unwrap under a tree. Unlike material things that chip or fade, memories and heart-felt breakdowns at roadside diners remain when the person may not anymore. Just hear me out and tell someone you love them; it makes a world of a difference.

For those who check their watch,

Xoxo,

Big Sis