I'm not here to answer your call right now~

After my husband passed away from Pulmonary Fibrosis, I could not bear to cancel his cell phone line.  Talking on the phone was so much of our relationship, kind of like our life-line.  He worked out on the road and while he was away, we called each other with every new day to wish each other a good morning.  We called one another every night to bid a good night.  We called each other in the middle of the day to talk about whatever we were dealing with at the time.  It was a way to find out if we were safe and not a day went by that we did not speak.  

So, when he passed away, my youngest child and I decided to leave his phone line alive.  It helped us both a great deal.  My son would often call his phone while having a hard day at school.  Meanwhile, I would call my husband's line to wish him a good night or to tell him my car had broken down and I just needed to talk. We called his line every birthday, wedding anniversary and Christmas.  On New Year's Eve, my son and I would dial into my husband's voice mail and put the phone on speaker and listen all the messages we had left.  They were mostly tearful whispers and inaudible crying, but we could still make out the words we were trying to say.  

I finally discussed with my son that we should think about cancelling his line.  My son agreed.  After all, deep down we knew that most of the time we talked to my hubby, it is through our hearts and not on a ten dollar a month phone line.  We recorded my husbands voice mail message on another device and then I took the big step to call my phone provider and let them know.  

The customer service provider apologized for our loss and  indicated that we would not have to pay a cancellation fee for that line if the person was deceased and asked the date of my husband's death.  
"December 15th", I responded.
"Okay"  she said, "December 15th of 2013."  
"No, it was actually December 15th, 2011."   Realizing that two full years had gone by.  

I began to explain why we kept the phone line alive and that I had not been ready to cancel it until now.  She said that it was perfectly understandable and that she too, had dealt with the loss of her father and still wishes she could hear his voice.  She cancelled the phone line with no issue and we ended up sending tearful wishes and blessings to each other.  She was very kind.

I still have my husband listed on my speed dial.  I can't imagine anyone else's name listed there.