"Those we love don't go away. They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near. Still loved, still missed and very dear." - Anonymous

We sometimes wish that heaven was not so far away. We wish to see loved ones that no longer live on Earth. Yet, no one seems to ask another what they would say to a lost loved one whether they had the opportunity of meeting them or not. That is until today. I reached out to the anonymous public and simply asked: "What would you say to a lost loved one if you got to see them one last time?" These are their responses:

To my First Husband: You were my first love. You made me cry, made me laugh, made me throw things at you and I miss you every day. It's so sad that you didn't get to see your boys grow up to be two wonderful, caring, sweet, loving, giving, boys that have taken care of me ever since you left this world.

To my Mom: I think of you every day. I want to pick up the phone and ask you so many questions. When I'm cooking, I thank god you made us help you cook as kids. And where is the hot dog maker?!

To the Solider KIA: The death of Jeffrey Johnson when he was killed in action in Afghanistan. How much it crushed all our hearts. The emptiness, the utter shock of him being killed so far away and there wasn’t a thing any of us could do. The hopefulness that he would come back to us so we could hang with him, have a drink, to do whatever. And to think what jerry and Kelly (parents) must have been going through.

To my Unborn Child: I would tell my son that I was more than excited to meet him. I was young, terrified, and still so ready to hold him. When we found out that he wasn't going to make it, I cried every day for two weeks straight. My whole world fell apart when I was told that you wouldn't make it. But even now, I still can't wait to meet you someday.

To my Grandma: I'd say that I miss her every day. And even after a year of her passing, I tried to visit her last Christmas but remembered she wasn't going to be there. I'd tell her to take care and love my baby until I get there

To my Grandpa: There is never a day I don’t think about him. He was the most caring and selfless man I have ever met. If I could talk to him one more time, I would just tell him how much I love him and what an impact he made on my life.

To my College Friend: I miss you more than you will ever know. You had a way about you that made everyone want to be around you. I love that you always made sure to hug me before you left and that you always had a smile on your face. I will always wonder what happened the night God decided to bring you home. And I want you to know that every time I smell the cologne you wore, I think of you. I will never forget you.

To my Father: I’m sorry I didn’t go to your funeral. It was just too hard for me at the time. Now, I wish I would have gotten closure. I love you.

To my Son: If I could see him again I would tell my son, Nathan…I’m Sorry! I’m sorry I woke you up that fateful morning and asked you to go and do what I should have done myself. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you during those last moments when you must have been so afraid and hurt. I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye. They wouldn’t let me in until it was too late. I’m sorry for every moment of your short 16 years that I didn’t spend with you that I could have. I’m sorry you didn’t get to see your little brothers grow up… you would be so proud of both of them (they look and act just like you). There are so many things I would want to say, but the most important would be… I love so much. More than my own life and would have gladly taken your place that day. I get up every day with the exact same sadness I had the day he died. The only difference is I’m better at hiding it and I’m much more used to the agony of my own broken heart.

To my Maternal Grandfather: I wish you hadn’t passed away when I was a child. I would have loved to hear how it was to grow up in rural Panola County and what it was like when he was in South America, in the early 1900’s, clearing jungle to make way for roads.

To my Granny: If I could say something to my granny, it would be that I still think of her every day. I would tell her how she shaped me as a young woman and showed me what love really is. I would tell her all the regret that fills me for not being there before she passed away and that I didn’t call her more. I would tell her that Papa is missing her, but he’s doing well and making sure I’m doing well in school. I would tell her that I smile when I smell her perfume randomly and I’ll never forget her. I would tell her that I loved her more than she knew and I miss her a great deal.

To my Great Aunt: I would give her a huge hug and tell her how much I miss her. I would ask her to tell me about her squirrel hunting adventures and tell her all the stories she told were inspirational. Especially, the one about how she was married only 6 weeks because she didn't want to be married if she had to do everything for a man. She could do everything for herself and be better off. That just shows me how strong of a woman she was!

To my Best friend, Sister, and Partner in Crime: You showed me what friendship was really all about. You showed me how to love people unconditionally. Even when I scolded you like a mom or made fun of you like a sister, at the end of the day you were always there for me and I'm honored to be able to call you my best friend. Our personalities balanced each other's perfectly. You were crazy enough for the both of us and I handled the more responsible situations. There was nothing you could do to make me stay mad at you. I want you to know that I'm sorry for what happened the night that you passed away and I hope you know that the second we flipped, you were the first person that came to my mind. I hoped that every single time I pulled someone out of the truck, the next hand that grabbed mine would be yours. I told you it was dangerous to ride back there, but you convinced me that you would be fine and I wish in that moment I was more adamant about it. You were the epitome of a gypsy, so I know it would've been impossible to change your mind, but I still wish I tried harder. Your personality still lives inside of me and I’ll never forget you, Terra Brandyn. I love you and miss you.