On January 23, 2008, I received word that an old friend from college, Sarah (Roegner) O’Dell, had passed away.
Two years earlier, her husband, Aaron, had invited me out to a birthday celebration for her. I couldn’t go because I was heading up our New Year’s Eve service at church. I promised to call and promptly forgot.
I kept meaning to call, but never did. Then I found out that she was diagnosed with leukemia. I brought her up for prayer every chance I could at church, reminding myself every chance I got to call. But things got busy and I never did.
I got an email from her parents about a month before she died with her address, asking people to send birthday cards to lift her spirits. I wrote up a card, but it sat on my desk, waiting for a stamp. I got another email a few days before she died with a message that she was improving. Good, I thought, that will give me time to get this card out.
A few days later, I received the email that she had unexpectedly taken a turn for the worse and had passed away. None of my thoughts and good intentions turned into any meaningful expression to her. What could I say to her at that point? I almost cared enough to let you know?
My friend Sarah is gone and she’ll never know I cared because I didn’t take the time when I had it to tell her so.
Just a reminder from someone who learned the hard way: Please don’t wait to tell someone that you care.
On a somewhat more encouraging note, after sharing this story on Facebook, both her mother and husband reached out to me to thank me for sharing and talked a bit about those last few years with Sarah. Still… don’t wait to express your love.