In Sadness There Is Joy

My aunt passed away last week. She was my Mom's best friend. She married my Mom's brother. She was Sharkey's favorite aunt on my side too. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. I knew when I had found out her diagnosis, she had little time. I encouraged my Mom to spend time with her, to not put off seeing her, talking with her, visiting with her. I'm glad I did. Really glad. My Aunt was an amazing person. She could take the most stressful and burdensome situation and make it lighter. Her sense of humor was unparalleled and could come up with some of the best sarcastic one liners, and this could be part of the reason Sharkey liked her so much. She was a great support to my Mom these past 4 years since my Father passed away. She was the cornerstone of her family and will be missed. We were in NJ all of Saturday for the service and visiting with relatives afterwards.

It was interesting being in the same church where the last time I was there I was speaking on the behalf of my father at his service. It is the church I grew up in. I counted all the windows there a million times trying to pass the time when I was a kid. I know all the little stones on the floor and the designs at the front of the church. It's a wonder I turned out to have the faith I have today.

One of the things I have liked the least about funerals is one of the things I enjoyed the most this time around. You know how after the service there's usually a meal? Well I never understood why that is. I mean you are feeling sad, and reflective and somber, so why eat? Well I know it is to remember and talk about the dear departed and also give the attendees some refreshment for coming. Sharkey and I sat at a randomly picked table with an older Japanese couple I had never met before. As it turns out, the older man knew my Father. He hung out with him, grew up with him and I learned some stories I hadn't known before and heard a few I had forgotten. It was a really special time for me. I was really close to my Dad (he was an awesome man and I'll have to post about him sometime). I miss him a lot and in certain situations I can just picture in my mind what he would do/say. So to find out new things and remember old things I hadn't thought about, was time very well spent indeed.