January 12, 2020

Most of us have that favorite aunt or uncle.  The one you are so excited to visit or have visit you. The one who brings laughter to your lips, cooks your favorite meals, and reads  your favorite bedtime story, long after you have become too old for such a ritual.  Mine was Auntie, so loved and cherished that she needed no other distinguishing name.  But life can cause separations, violent and difficult divorces, that lead children away from those members of the family they are no longer allowed to see.  And, the worst separation is a too soon death and not even being aware of the resting place of that beloved family member. So, for many years after she died in Miami,  I felt the pain of missing my sweet aunt intensely.  Slowly,as time passed my grief eventually eased and I held on to the sweet memories with a feeling of peace.

 Auntie was my first experience to really grieve; and many years, filled with joys and sufferings have passed. Much older, I live in a small town in Central Florida and I have taken up the hobby of genealogy. It is fun for the research nerd I am; and allows me to reconnect with family I lost when my parents divorced. Through my research I discovered my aunt's resting place is in the same  small town in Orange County I now call home. - I never knew.-  It felt really wonderful to see Auntie's grave and say a prayer of Love and Thanksgiving.  And finding her in this little community where I thought I had no connection; well, I call it a God thing.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ....

Philippians 4:7

My blog today is dedicated to Michael, September 24, 1945-January 12, 1988