Widow Recalls Sweet Tradition Between Couple That Still Warms Her Heart

Nothing is better than growing old with the one you love. There’s no need to make a wish when your blow out your candles if you already have everything you have ever wanted. Having the unwavering companionship of your soulmate is the best birthday present anyone can receive. One woman’s 50th birthday changed her life forever, and her story can serve as a lesson to all of us that unknowingly take our closest relationships for granted.

Carol Garrett’s 50th birthday started off like any other normal day. She waited for her husband Jim to come home from work so they could celebrate the occasion together. Jim even had an extremely thoughtful surprise for his wife’s birthday. He had two plane tickets to Hawaii to present to Carol, and he couldn’t wait to make it home to his wife and see her reaction to his getaway gift.

Jim never made it home for Carol’s 50th birthday. He was killed on the way home from work by a teenager driving drunk. Jim died at the scene of the accident, and the teen was taken to the nearest hospital. The drunk driver spent a mere two hours in the hospital before being released. This horrible tragedy took Carol’s husband from her forever, and under such senseless circumstances.

A year later, Carol recalls receiving the news and she emotionally relives the loss of her other half. She reminisces about how they set the tone of their relationship through one simple action. When the couple married, Carol vowed to never let Jim leave the house before she had the chance to tell him she loves him.

The two carried out this simple act throughout their entire marriage, but it wasn’t always easy. Even when they couldn’t stand to be around each other during a fight, they would utter the words “I love you” despite their discontent. This may sound silly, but it helped the couple to stay close and never let the small stuff get in the way of their love.

Carol would even leave love notes on Jim’s windshield when she was short on time. This amusing and heartwarming game between Carol and Jim helped Carol cope with the loss of her husband after he passed, and she will never forget her last encounter with her husband.

Carol remembers Jim leaving her a birthday card and quickly left for work. She ran after Jim and banged on his car window, and when he rolled his window down she had to remind him of one thing.

“Here on my fiftieth birthday. Mr. James E. Garret, I Carol Garret, want to go on record as saying I love you,” Carol exclaimed. She didn’t know these would be her last words to her husband, but she finds peace in the fact that they were.

Carol was able to move on and find peace because of this silly tradition with her husband. She was content that the last thing she told Jim was that she loved him, and she can forever hold him and their fun-loving relationship dear in her heart. She may have lost her husband last year, but she didn’t lose him before letting him know he was her entire world.

We can all learn to take a little time to appreciate our loved ones and let them know how much we care. You never know which moment will be your last, so it’s best to live every second with a lot of love and no regrets!