I realize that the title of this post may sound ambiguous. I guess I am one of those who does not like to use the word die–instead I say “passed away.”
In the first 2 and 1/2 months of this year, I have lost 3 very important people in my life, my Uncle Bernie, and my good friends Etta and “Nanni Molly.”
They were not young in chrono-logical age, but Molly at 99 and Etta at 83 were discussing current events and sharing stories up until not too long before their deaths.
My Uncle Bernie became unable to share his witticisms and stories several years ago due to his illness.
I never realized how important the words: “thank you” and “me too” (the latter in response to my saying “I love you”) were.
Then there were my brother-in-law, Jon, and my friends Mae Frances, Vivian, and Al. They were much younger. than the others. Jon, had become a big brother to me. Mae Frances and Vivian were big sisters and inspirations. Al’s death was very sudden.
May 2005 was a very hard moth for me. My father who had been ailing, died unexpectedly. A week later, my friend Thelma who had been sick for six months passed away. That really threw me a curveball even though each of them thanked me for caring in our last conversations.
My Uncle Marty also died unexpect- edly in 2007. I am glad Mom, Maury and I went to visit him not too long before he got sick for the last time.
I have come to realize that there is no easy way to say goodbye to those who I love. I guess that the best farewell present that I can give each of these wonderful people that I have mentioned and the many others in my life who have passed away is to live my life with integrity, just as they did in theirs.
