Longing

Today my sweet Aunt turned 88. She is my dad's sister... they were born on the same day 9 years apart...as she tells it, her cousin was the bus driver and driving her home told her she had a big gift waiting at home...She is the kindest, sweetest, most gracious, southern Christian women you could every meet. She is still pretty sharp to be 88....except... she knows exactly who I am when I call, said she was just talking about me yesterday as a matter of fact, remembers my husband and kids names, but then later in the conversation asks "now you're Charles' daughter right?"....
Every time I talk to her it makes me so sad that I never get to see her (she lives in Alabama) and she is just precious to me. We had a long talk about how she can't believe how long her husband has been dead now, and my dad, and even her parents... I guess the empty spot you have when you loose a parent never goes away.
I ended the phone call with such a longing... a longing to see her and knowing when I do get to it may be the last time...a longing for my dad...
Poor Mike, I wonder how many times I've cried these same tears on his shoulder over the years...he's always sweet... he even paused Saving Private Ryan for me...