Last dance

I'm listening to Luther Vandross's song "Dance with my father again." I don't know if that's the title, but that's the chorus line that sticks out to me. One of the lines of the song says...I would play a song that never ever ends. It's a very moving song that talks about having a girl reminiscing about her father after he's gone. She wishes she could dance with him, just one more time. It's a song of regret at not taking advantage of the opportunities life presents us with. Little did the girl know that her father would be taken away so suddenly. It's playing on the page of a good friend of mine who recently lost her father. Tears streamed down my face as I thought of her and her siblings with the words of this song playing.

We all have relationships that we struggle with in life from time to time. I too struggle with my relationship with my father. There are issues there that I pray to God to resolve in my heart. But listening to this song makes me realize just how short life really is. And how really short it can be when we lose people we love. The Bible says that there is a time for everything. A time for joy and a time for sorrow. A time for peace and a time for war. A time to be born and a time to die.

Tomorrow, my sister leaves us. She's moving to Maryland with her husband. This is difficult for my family because it's the first time one of the siblings has left. True, we all went away for college. But we all returned home after. But this is the first time that someone from our family will move and settle out of state. I've known about the move for some time and didn't think much about. I knew it was inevitable because my sister is married to a soldier and that's part of the life of the military - moving from place to place. But it wasn't until the last couple of days that the move really hit me. My sister has always been there to support my parents, the ministry and all of us. Whatever was needed, I knew I could count on her to come through. Same thing with my youngest sister, although she's going through a phase...what else is new. LOL But my older sister Vali was there taking care of my parents for the last few years. Now the torch will be passed to the baby of the family. May God have mercy on them. LOL They will be missed. Her voice in the choir. Her smile in infectious persona by her Sunday School class. And her quiet support in our family. What I will miss most is her laugh. She has a laugh that melts your heart and brings joy to you. Her husband has also been a real blessing. Taking care of our parents and supporting the ministry. I know that where ever God leads, He will feed. And where He guides, He will provide. I pray for God's blessings on them and their family on their new journey.

What I've learned from this is to treasure the moments you have with loved ones. Whether it's family meals or get togethers or fa'alavelave's. Take time to tell those you love that you love them. That you treasure them and that they mean the world to you. Don't wait for the next song to dance with them. Dance now. That next song may never come.