Uncle Alan...

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

 

I’ve had enough darkness and winter. Right now it is windy and rainy.

My uncle died last week. It has been a sad time. My father is now alone– his 9 brothers and sisters are all gone. He says that is what has been hitting him the most, feeling alone.

I’m glad that in spite of humanly being alone, he is not alone. He knows that this isn’t the end. He knows that it is good that my uncle is no longer suffering. He knows that he will see him again along with his brothers and sisters.

It’s still sad. Having to clear out his apartment and seeing what he left behind made me want to run home and throw some stuff out so my loved ones won’t have to see the silliness that I collect. My mother was laughing over 70 coasters and 10 shoehorns. I can only imagine how people are going to feel going through my stuff. 🙂

We did find a song book from the 1800’s– that had belonged to my Quaker great-grandfather. It was full of the love of the Lord.  It was encouraging in the midst of the hard things that we have been going through.

He also had started 4 rose bushes. In spite of how badly he had been doing, he was still gardening a tiny bit. I’ve been told it is hard to slip roses. They looked healthy and full of potential. His birdfeeder, full of thistle, attracts Lesser Goldfinches. It was so restful to just sit and watch them. I remember the last time I was with him, we were just sitting there watching the birds come and go. A quiet time.

He will be greatly missed. By my father and my mother. By his neighbors. By his daughter. By me.