Do you give your flowers now?

Our older daughter leaves for college this fall. And I have to admit—we’re already missing her some. I know, she’s not even left yet, but it’s still lingering in the back of our minds—“This is the last ___ when she’s at home with us” and so on.

My wife and I have even started talking about what we’ll miss most—her zany sense of humor, her challenging intellect, her bouncy personality. And as my wife and I talked, I made a decision: instead of just talking with my wife about what I’ll miss, I’ll talk with our daughter. I’ll tell her what I appreciate most about her and how much I’ll miss that characteristic of her being around our home. (Of course, I’ll sprinkle in a comment or two about the things I won’t miss as well!)

I guess all of us know that we won’t be with each other forever here on earth, that one day we’ll be separated by time and space and won’t be able to be with each other. So today, let someone know how much you appreciate him, tell her what you specifically enjoy about having her around. Or, as a friend used to tell me, “Give your flowers now.”