The world lost one hell of a lady yesterday
My great Aunt Patty
My Mom's second Mom
The elder who always saw me as me
Who lit every room with her voice, her smile, the way she laughed
Loud and proud and bold and wise and wonderful and I can't believe...
...she's gone.
My Mom made me call her on Thanksgiving
I didn't really want to call
Didn't want to have an awkward conversation with an old relative of mine, I was in the middle of something, the timing wasn't right, It's awkward, my kids needed me, I wanted a moment to myself, I hadn't been thinking about my Great Aunt Patty...
...but when the sound of her voice traveled
from her New England kitchen
to my Anchorage one,
I remembered
why it mattered.
I walked to the laundry room so I could focus,
so I could hear over the lung cancer that slowly crept into the cadence of her words.
"Ah, sorry about my voice," she said. "It goes in and out these day."
"I can hear you."
"Oh good, Christy its awful, but hey, how are you, tell me about Alaska?"
So we talked about my life and hers,
in that way you do,
with a select few
where years apart still find you aligned
easy conversation,
as is...
"How's Nick?"
"He's great. He and I are really good."
"I still remember your wedding. I remember thinking you two were the most beautiful..."
My Aunt Patty.
The most beautiful minded woman I knew.
The light of every room.
I loved her.
As so many do.
Beautiful! You have such a way with words! Thank you!! You made me cry but a cry remembering a remarkable woman.
Love,
Mom
Posted by: Mom and Dad | 12/12/2014 at 03:38 AM
A beautiful tribute. So sorry for your loss.
Posted by: Kate | 12/12/2014 at 02:19 PM
You captured the essence of aunt patti ...your way with the English language ....your heartfelt truths ...you definitely brought tears to my eyes ...from another cousin who also loved our dear , special , aunt patti .thank you , christy , love your cousin ,mary
Posted by: Mary Adams | 12/14/2014 at 02:34 PM