A Very Happy Life

Today I said Good-bye to my Great Aunt Esther. It was a little over a week or so ago, I went to Pottsville to the nursing home where were she stayed .I visited with her twin sister Aunt  Ruth, at 97 years old, they amaze me.

Little did I know I would be going back so soon to say Good-bye to Aunt Esther. I saw cousins I have not seen in ages, I saw My Kindergarden teacher Mrs Alban, I ran into one of my very first Sunday School teachers Mrs Shuman. Funny how time passes us by.

I sat with my husband, my mom and my dad. It was more of a celebration of life. When you live a very long healthy life surrounded by friends and family what more can you ask for. There is no amount of money in the bank that can give you those riches.  As the service went on, I just could not help but think about all of the family members Aunt Ruth had to say good bye to in her time. She is the very last of 11 brothers and sisters. My grandfather was one of her brothers.

I tried to sit back and just observe how one lets go.. when it was time to close the casket and bid farewell, its when Aunt Ruth could not grab hold of her twin sister who she would no longer see everyday, who she would no longer have breakfast lunch and dinner with. 97 years is a long time.
Aunt Ruth still moves like she is in her 60's she remembers things that I don't, she loves life. Saying goodbye is never an easy thing to do, but much more happiness lies ahead. Fear no evil.

I leaned over to my dad, knowing our time line in our family people live to 100, 101, 105....I said "dad, you have another 30 years to live life to the fullest" and trust me, he does. And then without hesitation, he leaned over and said, " I don't want this sappy music at my funeral, I want ELVIS and his gospel music. And then it was time for for the twenty third Psalm, he knew it by heart, every word, didn't miss a beat. That man that I will look up to forever. My mom and I sang the songs side by side, and the service was beautiful.

Aunt Esther, you will certainly be missed. Aunt Ruth, continue to carry on as the Wind beneath her wings.

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

xo
j