I Forgot Love was a Verb

Everyone generally wants to have someone to love whether it be a family member, friend, or romantic, significant other. The problem people often have in today's time is that actions are no longer the measure we use in order to prove that love for others. I have been guilty of this and know plenty of other people that are also guilty. We often assume someone knows we love them. It is too emotionally draining in a world of stress to do the things we should to show loved ones how we feel. Between education, employment, and parenting, people feel they no longer have time to go out of their way to keep up social relationships. They take loved ones for granted and expect relationships to to take care of themselves. Relationships can not take care of themselves.  They take all parties involved working together to remain in loving and healthy and mutually supportive relationships. I was awakened to my assumptions when my 22-year old nephew, 'The Real Shane Quenzer', moved half way across the country to California from Arkansas.  I have watched him grow and was lucky enough to be able to influence his thoughts and choices. As his moving day came closer, my denial grew into a numb existance to prevent admitting to myself that I would have to say goodbye to someone else I love. After he did finally go, my denial mutated into a painful realization that I was out of time after 22 years to show him what he meant in my life.  Luckily, I realized how proud I am to see him make his own life as a writer/singer like his mother (my sister) and I always wanted to be.
Also, I was lucky I still have contact with him and have been able to make it clear how instrumental his own existance has been to my own happiness. I miss him, of course, and don't care a bit to tell him that. I am now more aware of the condition of all my relationships, especially the rest of my nieces, nephews, sisters, brother-in-laws, my husband, and my daughters.  I want the people I love to know their impact in my life, and I want to be able to see the impact I have in their life. I want my own impact to be positive and supportive.  It never hurts us to ask ourselves what we can do to apply the love we feel for others in those loved ones' lives. Time can not be regained and guilt is a useless emotion when it turns to regret instead of wisdom.