Last Thursday morning, I got a email at work from my dad. My aunt had passed away the night before. It was quiet and peaceful, but that doesn’t make it easier on us. We were set to travel to Illinois last weekend for her son’s wedding and it looked like we would be visiting for both joyous and sorrowful occasions.
The visitation was rough on her family and they all got tired in the receiving line. We said our good-byes and waited until it was done.
I had made some origami flowers and gave them to her family before the visitation. It was a Catholic mass and the church was full of her friends and family. I broke down a few times and so did my sister and my mom – though my dad was strangely stoic. I doubt I could have held up so well – and maybe I wouldn’t have wanted to.
After the funeral we joined the procession of nearly 40 cars to go to the cemetery. My cousins were overwhelmed and I think they just went on auto-pilot. I saw some relatives I haven’t seen in a while and we all told stories and tried to remember happier times.
I told someone that it was like some of the light had left the world with her passing – but maybe there was some new light in my aunt’s grandchildren and the nieces and nephews running around.
Time keeps on passing and I’m hoping that it helps heal the wounds that my aunt’s family are suffering through.