Uncle Rick

I haven’t felt like I can put anything up on my blog until I mark the passing of my uncle who died unexpectedly last week.  He was a fountain of knowledge (truly).  He had a love for the outdoors – for gemstones and sailing and hikes through the woods and the scarlet tanager.  He was a devoted grandfather who will be sorely missed.

The call came on Tuesday of last week and with waves of emotion came a flurry of phone calls, planning for the funeral.  My dad’s whole side of the family lives in NY, so we were trying to decide if we could go.  Kevin was very encouraging (I am so lucky to have him).   The wee hours of Thursday morning found us on the road.

Even though it was a stretch for us to get there, I am so grateful that we went.  It really meant a lot to my family that we were all there.  It was healing to share good memories of Uncle Rick and to be able to give hugs when they were needed.  I never realized how important it is to be able to say good-bye to the one who is gone.  There was a deeper relationship forged through this sorrow that I will never regret I was a part of.

This only strengthened my belief and understanding about family.  Family is sacred.

Our prayers remain in NY with my family.