last week, I was reminded (yet again) how short life truly is for all of us.
one minute my mom was reminding my grandmother to call my uncle gus to wish him a "happy birthday." and less than 2 hours later, my mother is calling me to tell me he had passed away.
last sunday, feb 1st, on his 67th birthday, my aunt shirley said she and my uncle gus (my mother's only sibling) had the best day. they went to church. a church they loved. then they went to lunch and she let him get anything he wanted since it was his birthday. they stopped by the grocery store to get some snacks for the super bowl later that night. then they decided to go for a walk around a nearby state park. on the drive home, they were both commenting on what a good day it had been.
my mom called me around 6PM on sunday evening and said she was on her way to the ER that my aunt had called her saying gus "had a spell." neither of us really knew what that meant and neither of us were too concerned. we talked about other things and then my mom said she would call me once we got there and let me know what was going on. he wasn't sick. didn't have any health issues. so I thought maybe he just fainted or something.
less than an hour later, I get a voicemail from my mom. her voice was shaking and I could tell she had been crying. I remember saying "oh god! no!" I called her right back and all she said was "he didn't make it." I was sobbing. my mom was sobbing. all I could tell her "mom, i'm sorry." she had just lost her only brother. less than two weeks from the anniversary of her father's death which was on 2/17/13.
it was shock to us all. to all of his friends and family who waited over 2 hours to get through the receiving line the night before his funeral. i'm still in shock. i'm sad for his wife of 43 years. i'm sad for his two children. i'm sad for his 4 granddaughters who loved their "pop pop." i'm sad for his only sister, my mother. but most of all, my heart breaks for my grandmother who just lost her child. the sound of her screams and cries over the music being played at his funeral will never get out of my head.
but looking on the bright side...he had the perfect day. it was his birthday. he didn't suffer. if you were going to leave this world unexpectedly, I feel like that's the best way you can go.
i'll miss my silly uncle gus who loved wearing suspenders with his bathing suit and straw hats to all sporting events. he also loved his job on the railroad, which he had just retired from a few years back. he loved the clemson tigers. he loved life.
you never know when you could leave this world...or when a loved one can be taken from you so hug necks, kiss cheeks, and say "I love you" all the time.
