Family Reunion

We played together as kids. Visited each other at our homes and during the summers had many gatherings at Grandpa's farm. Built forts in the barn loft and panned for gold in the creek bed. We had corncob fights, fist fights, swam and fished together.

Then we grew up.

There was college, the Marines, the Air Force, marriage, jobs, our own children and that seldom reunion where the second cousins could meet and play like we did.

Time drifted us apart. We lost contact. I heard the kids got married. Just little glimpses of cousins and second cousins.

Then came the invitation to another family reunion. My, it's been a long time, I'm going this year.

I'm glad I went. After the first handshake and hug, we had never been apart. We were kids again, laughing and having fun. Talking about our latest toys, cars, and boats, family history and of course the Internet and emails.

We promised to stay in contact. I said goodbye and he said later. He always said later.

There were letters, emails , jokes, pictures, a little business and are you coming back to the reunion again this year? and again that "later", never a goodbye. I think it was too permanent, because there was always a tomorrow for him.

One of us died last week, and when I heard I was over a thousand miles away on a business trip. I couldn't go, but a warm pleasant thing happened that I shall never forget.

On the day he died he was very strong in my thoughts and when I went to bed I said to myself I would like one more visit just to say goodbye.

Sometime during the night, in my dreams I was visited by someone who covered me with a blanket and tucked me in. As he faded from my dream, I distinctly heard one word before I went into a deeper sleep.

"Later".