Tag: death

Missing Martha

Tomorrow, March 27th, my sister Martha would have turned 65 if she had not died in 2001, suddenly and unexpectedly and too soon. I miss her every day.

Martha did a lot of living before she died. She learned, she loved, she traveled, and she left us with her daughter, Gina, and a lot of memories.

Martha was a big fan of bubbles, and tomorrow we’ll drink one of her favorites, Freixenet Brut in the black bottle. We will remember her bold and adventurous nature and be glad that we knew her. She helped teach Olivia to ride a bike, she helped Johanna get a tattoo before we were ready to do that, and she was here with me to welcome Sam when he was born.

Small pleasures

Enjoy every day.

Still becoming that person…

Recently life has forced me to think about aging and death.

My son’s cat Nancy was gently guided over the rainbow bridge last week, having reached old age with owners who loved her and cared well for her.

Last night my daughter’s dog, Brodie, also aged, lame, incontinent and much-loved, had a seizure from which there was no recovery.

It’s not just the pets. My mother-in-law almost made it to her 100th birthday, but not quite. Her last few years were not pleasant, but she had the good fortune to have five children who spent time with her daily until the end, which came just a couple of weeks ago.

Real circle-of-life stuff, I guess. And a reminder to enjoy every moment and use the nice dishes.

I’ve always been a gardener, and this year’s weather, plus a lot of weeding, has produced a continuous parade of blooms, now followed by a daily harvest of tomatoes and cucumbers. We’ve eaten well and enjoyed the flowers in our favorite vases.

“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.“

David Bowie