O, Love, My Love, if You Were Gone

    When my husband was only 42 years old he suffered a massive heart attack and was a long time returning to health. At that time, he was pastoring the great old Tabernacle Baptist Church in Macon , Georgia. One of the first things he was called upon to do after returning to pastoral duties,was to conduct funeral services for a young deacon and friend, who was his own age.

    As I sat in rear of the sanctuary, it was suddenly as if all I could see or be aware of was the open casket with my husband standing at his pulpit, directly behind and over it. I became overwhelmed at a numbing sense of loss as though I had actually lost him in death. It was as though I was feeling the grief of my friend, the newly widowed wife, as my own , and the reality of how nearly I had lost my beloved husband just weeks before. In a kind of daze, I again expressed my grief and sympathy and as soon as possible I hurried home to try to collect myself . I sat down, took paper and pen and the words to this poem literally poured forth. Still in that strange state of emotion, the things that I would miss ,things that were so dear and precious, things that my life revolved around became so real . I felt driven to tell him how much he meant to me and how empty I would be without him. I slipped the poem into his jacket pocket next morning and he found it later after he was at his office. Not a single word has ever been changed from that original tear-stained copy

    This poem has become a kind of bond between us through the many years since I wrote it. This past month, August 20th, we celebrated our 52nd anniversary. Each time I read it, those same rushing emotions of love sweep over me. God has so richly blessed us through the years of our life together. We praise and thank Him for this precious gift we share.

    I truly believe these words were "inspired". I have seen men and women weep as they read the poem, I have seen couples embrace tenderly, I have seen widows softly smile and wipe tears of memory from their cheeks, I have seen newly- weds gaze into each other's eyes and make silent vows to have that kind of marriage, I saw a sobbing husband tell his wife "This is what I have been trying to say to you".( She had just been told she had advanced leukemia and the outlook was dark) I saw a woman read it to her husband. She had just told me this was their last chance to save a deteriating marriage. I pray it will touch and bless you and encourage you to treasure those "precious little things" that are priceless beyond the wealth of this world.