Sweet Times

Going on social media this time of the year I read a lot of nice stories about families especially those who are no longer with us.

My cousin Bronwen who does not go on very often had a very nice message about Christmas and the holiday season. Though she doesn’t write often her messages are always very good.

This time she mentioned several people that she misses and someone recently passed away that she grew up with. She wrote about her mother my aunt Patricia, and how she was a big influence in her life. Of course, most of us have been influenced by our mothers because they gave us birth and was the very first person that cared and loved us; however, there was more Aunt Patricia. Besides being Bronwen’s mother she was mother to Jennifer and stepmother to Lorna. Also, she allowed another cousin Judy to live with her family during the high school years. The thing about Aunt Patricia was that she was a second mother to countless other young girls including my sister. In later years Aunt Patricia came down with some health issues but she was still a very strong woman within herself. Before she was my aunt and married my Uncle Bill she was very good friends with my mother. In fact, that is how Aunt Patricia and Uncle Bill met was through my mother. I am not sure how old Aunt Patricia was when she died; however, she died earlier than she should have aught too. Bronwen loved and respected her mother and so do I. Like my mother Aunt Patricia was a wonderful woman and many more people should have known her. She even helped run a business even when her health could have had her bow out. I could go on and on about her.

There are other people and events we can remember this time of the year. My thoughts are for sure with those who I have known over the year whether they are part of my natural family or those that I now consider family and friends.

I am sure most of us think about our loves this time of the year especially those that have passed away in the past year. I have been to several funerals and memorial services in 2015 of those who were classmates, grown up with, and older people that I have met on the way or were friends of my mother. My mother yesterday read in the obituaries about a dear friend who she spent time with at the Y and had taught all her daughters in high school French. My mother still remembers some of the students she taught either French or German for twenty years at Wilson High School in Tacoma Washington.

I still have the privilege of having my mother around at ninety-five years old. She has had quite extraordinary life. I can’t take her for granted because I know she has not very many years left. We can all say that for our loved ones that are still here. Of course, we have no idea how much time we have left either. We are like the wind here one minute and gone the next.

I know that this can be difficult times especially if you have lost a love one or close friend recently; however, enjoy those still around you and the sweet times.