The Absent Uncle: It has been quite a week

Life can be quite tranquil, can be routine, and you think all is just moving forward. Ups and downs that are that big or out of the norm. After all – you have a plan.

Then you have a big one.

Sherrill’s mom passed away about two weeks ago (from the publishing date) and she had received the call to travel to California a few days prior to her passing in order to spend some time with her 92-year-old mom. Sherrill is the oldest of the family kids, and from my point of view in knowing the mom and daughter and observing them over the years, that the relationship is one of certainly mother-daughter, but also one of friendship and recognition of what they went through together in the early years and throughout their lifetimes together. 

This all happened just after our return from our trip to Europe and while I was in Minnesota for my high school class 75th birthday celebration. Figure out logistics, who is going to do what and when, and how. We realized how much we have settled into roles of who does travel arrangements, packing, figuring out leave times, and house get ready stuff. And all of that needed to be done on the fly in this case. With a hiccup here and there – it all got done – everybody got to where they needed to be as we learned or relearned some skills in the process.   

As the week went on, there were certainly difficult times. Saying goodbye is just not easy, no matter if the person is 92 or any age. Then the memories – oh, I wish I had asked about this or thanked her just one more time for a kindness that occurred to you. Wished I had remembered and taken care of it earlier. Just like learning about packing, travel reservations and all of the other details that frustrated us in the preceding days.

The lesson. What have we learned in the previous 75 years of life? Try to prepare. Prepare to be frustrated, prepare to figure it out, and prepare for whatever is coming next – it will be all right.

It has been quite a week. To remember what is important. And to do just that.