Remembering

This time of year, is especially emotional for my family. My brother Bub (Layton Lee) passed away in October of 2013, one day before his 32nd birthday.  When you lose someone so close to you, your heart has a hard time getting back to normal. A void is created that can’t easily be filled. The first few years were filled with all the disappointments of him not being physically here anymore. As the years have come and gone, I choose to reflect on the years he was with us, the good, happy times. I could tell you so many funny stories about him because he was a unique, funny, quiet, laid-back kind of soul.

The one story that brings a smile to my face happened at our annual Halloween party. If you knew Bub, then you knew he was terrified of creepy clowns. So, on this particular year we told all the guests to dress up like clowns but told Bub that it was an Indian themed party. The look on his face was priceless when he pulled up in the driveway. We laughed so hard at him! I will never forget that moment in time.

I will also never forget Saturday, October 5, 2013. We were in Jonesboro and had just sat down to eat at Colton’s when my phone rang and the girl on the other end told me that Bub had been taken to the hospital and that he was not breathing. The rest is really a blur to me. We rushed back to Pocahontas as fast as we could. On the way I called our friend Joey to see if he could find out anything for me as he was a first responder with the Fire Department. The hospital was not releasing information to him and in my heart, I knew that he was gone. As we pulled up to the emergency room, there were people standing outside and with a simple nod, I knew that we were too late. He had passed from this earth into eternity. While we questioned everything about his passing, there was simply nothing to grasp other than the finality of this moment in time. There would be no do overs, no last goodbyes, no I wish I would have said this or that and no last hug or I love You.

I was fortunate enough to have communicated with Bub just a few days before his passing. We had a conversation over text, and he said, “I LOVE ALL YALL”. He also said, “hope to see you soon”. That is reality for me, I will see him soon. I will be reunited with him in heaven someday. His life and sudden death have become reminders to me of how important it is to tell each and every person you care about that you love them. But even more important is to share the love of Jesus with them. We aren’t guaranteed another a day, minute or second on this earth. We are on this earth because God has a purpose for us and when our purpose has been completed, we will be called home if we have placed our belief in Him.

Just yesterday mom and I spoke about how quickly our lives have passed by and she said, “you know all the old timers we knew as kids have passed away, and now I’m the old timer.”  How true is that statement. In James 4:14 the Bible tells us….yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.