Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Saying Good-Bye

How many of us are lucky enough to say they KNEW, I mean REALLY KNEW a Great-Great Aunt? My beautiful "Aunt Bill" passed away this past week at the glorious age of 99 years old.

Ninety-nine years. Imagine all she's seen and experienced. All the changes in this world ... all the things that she went through in her younger life during a time when African Americans were treated abominably. To live to see the first Black President - something she told me she NEVER EVER EVER thought she'd live to see.

I adored her. She outlived both of my Grandparents, and luckily, I was fortunate enough to have had her as a constant in my life. She wasn't someone I JUST saw at reunions. She was someone that I saw, before moving away from New York, on a weekly basis.

I remember being a little girl, LOVING to hear stories of her and her beautiful sisters. I loved flipping through pages of her photo albums, oohing and ahhing at the clothes, LOL.

My family is a close one, and we live far beyond 100 years old .... so for her to lay down and enter eternal sleep at 99 - was shocking to me. I thought she'd live longer. I wanted, selfishly I suppose, to have her be there for maybe my son's wedding in 10 years?? **big smile**

When I remember her life, the life lessons she taught me ... I can't help but think all that we complain about these days are so trivial.

Bless you sweet Aunt Bill ... I'll miss you.

1 comment:

Sandra Caldwell said...

Hello Keni
I am so sorry to hear you lost your Great-Great Aunt....you were lucky. I come from a very small family and this past week I had to put my Aunt in a home for Dementia patients...it was the hardest thing to do. So having faith that your Aunt is where she is at peace. She's is God's hands. God Bless you and your family . You still have the memories !
Takecare Sandra