No Regrets

My weekend was spent at a memorial service in West Virginia. The passing of an aunt brought us together after many, many years apart and it was a most wonderful thing, sad but wonderful. My mother was 1 of 6 girls, she was smack dab in the middle, the third girl,  but the first to pass, 17 years ago this December. It seems that once a parent dies, ties are lost between aunts, uncles and cousins. Thirteen years have gone by since I last visited the hometown of Harrisville, West Virginia, and that too was for a funeral of  my dear Aunt Marjie.  

Of course we have decided to try and get together more often. For no other reason than to laugh and reminisce, we laughed so often and so loud that the house seemed to shake. There's a great sense of humor in the family and tall tales become taller and funnier, I think we laugh harder every time we hear them. 

This Aunt (Susie) was the 2nd in birth order, she was from Smryna, GA and her urn was buried in the family cemetery, alongside her husbands. Her oldest son read a poem and sniffles could be heard all around. Grieving is considered part of the closure we need to say good-bye, yet better is the joy of joining together afterwards, with memories in places we may have known a life time. And so it was, we met in my aunt's house, such a beautiful place, surrounded by fields, woods, a fishing hole and quaking aspens that my grandfather planted. Everyone learned to fish at that fishing hole, except me, I couldn't kill the worm. 

Aunt Susie with Uncle Bee

I came home, only to learn that a dear friend lost his daughter to leukemia. She had just received donor stem cells and was fighting with all she had. Her support group was gigantic and we are sad and weepy today. I am trying to think about all that I am grateful for,especially after a weekend like this. An extra long walk with the dog, pulling huge weeds or slapping paint around - all come to mind to let emotions escape. We need to get together when it's not about someone passing.

Lunch with friends was a request from a friend that passed from pancreatic cancer many years ago and it was something a group of us did for 4 or 5 years. And it rocked! All we need to do is put it on a calender, get it started... and they will come. Regrets aren't good, laughter and good memories are. 

Comments

[Elin]

Karen, your blogs are so wise and comforting! Lovely text!

[Naomi Hoffman]

So sorry Karen for the loss of your Aunt and friend's daughter. I hope we will get to talk soon.

[Leslie]

Yes...we need to make more time to get together and share stories.
Facebook and the blog may help to keep us up to date on current family happenings, but it's better to be part of that happening!
Love Les XO

[Joy Llewallyn]

Thanks Karen. The words are sweet and comforting. Very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend's daughter.
It was good to be together again-laughter has always been this family's coping mechanism. Perhaps laughter through tears for some. Take Care. Thanks for the photographs!

[Karen]

Thank-you all for everything! It was a lovely memorial Joy and best of all was seeing you.