Just One Request

I have had one request.

In the past 25 years.
I have had
just
one
stinkin'
request.

I didn't ask to be listed as the only daughter.
I didn't ask to have my kids listed as the grandchildren.
I didn't ask for Peace Is Flowing Like a River to be played.
I didn't ask for my pastor to do the service.
I didn't ask for my favorite biblical passage to be read.
I didn't ask for a funeral separate from the wake.

I never asked for time.
I never asked for money.
I never asked for love.

I asked...
that
the
cards
addressed
to
me
at
my
dad's
funeral
be
left
in
an
envelope
so
that
I
could
open
them
myself.

This was it.
This was
all
I
asked.

When planning to open all of the cards, she didn't ask me what was convenient for me and my family.
She just said
she was opening them
with her kids
on Saturday at noon.

My kids' lives had been on hold
for weeks.
I needed to be there
for them and for me.
That is my job
as
a
parent.

She couldn't wait until Sunday
so that I could be there with my kids.

I decided my kids were more important
than her schedule.

So I asked her to please save the cards addressed to me
so that I could open them.

I called the following weekend.
That was when she told me.

Oh, by the way.
I opened all of those cards
addressed to you.
I put them in a separate envelope
because I don't know
who to send the thank you cards to.

She ignored my
one
request.


I had envisioned
a time with MY family
opening the cards
talking about Grandpa
shedding tears
honoring his memory
writing thank yous
in
the
way
I
wanted.

I barely got a seat at my own dad's funeral.
I think my request to leave the cards addressed to me by MY family should have been honored.

My heart just seems to break
every time
I have
just
one
simple
request
further proving that my real family consists of the amazing people
who always seem to have the glue to put my heart back together.

God bless my real family.