Saturday's Storyteller: In Memoriam
I didn't want to have to write another one of these. I hate the fact that I do have to write them. However, something tells me that I will be writing more of these as time goes on and I get older. Some people I write about, I hope, will pass on peacefully and at a good old age. Other times, I expect that the deaths will be untimely and very, very painful to deal with.
On October 22nd of this year, my cousin, Michael Blackford, died in Germany from advanced pancreatic cancer. He was seventy-five years old, but he always had the spirit of someone much younger and full of life. He was an adventurer in so many ways, literally and figuratively. When he wasn't extensively traveling around the globe, he was studying our genealogy, making funny commentary in regards to politics, dressing up as Santa Claus, volunteering at museums, and being an amazing husband, father, and grandfather. He left behind a wonderful wife, who happens to be my grandmother's cousin; four children, and nine grandchildren.
The last time I saw Mike was in 2011, having only previously seen him when I was very young. Although I did not know him very well and of course wish I could have spoken to him more, he immediately struck me as an eccentric, intellectual, and fun man, with an appetite for discovery and a real passion for the people and things around him. He was always learning, trying new things, and going to new places. While I cannot say I was close with Mike, he is, in many ways, the kind of person I want to be: Someone who grabs life by the horns and steers it toward so many amazing and exciting destinations.
Today, I attended Mike's memorial service in San Ramon and got to see my many relatives, immediate and distant. I know that, despite my insistence that I will try to stay in better touch, such a promise is hard to keep. Families can be very separated, usually for understandable reasons. In fact, yesterday was the first time I saw one of my uncles in person in about seven to eight years. Geography, money, and schedules can cause an enormous damper on family outings and reunions, and that's to be expected. And yet, I really and truly wish that I could have had one last conversation with Michael. I really and truly wish that, when I see my relatives, it doesn't have to be after losing a loved one. I know how valuable, and wonderful, my family can be.
Michael was a devout Catholic, so in respect to him, I pray that he has found his place beside the Lord in Heaven. He lived an incredible life, and I sincerely hope that he has the opportunity to go on an entirely different and extraordinary adventure altogether. Rest in peace, my dear cousin.
Love,
Belinda
On October 22nd of this year, my cousin, Michael Blackford, died in Germany from advanced pancreatic cancer. He was seventy-five years old, but he always had the spirit of someone much younger and full of life. He was an adventurer in so many ways, literally and figuratively. When he wasn't extensively traveling around the globe, he was studying our genealogy, making funny commentary in regards to politics, dressing up as Santa Claus, volunteering at museums, and being an amazing husband, father, and grandfather. He left behind a wonderful wife, who happens to be my grandmother's cousin; four children, and nine grandchildren.
The last time I saw Mike was in 2011, having only previously seen him when I was very young. Although I did not know him very well and of course wish I could have spoken to him more, he immediately struck me as an eccentric, intellectual, and fun man, with an appetite for discovery and a real passion for the people and things around him. He was always learning, trying new things, and going to new places. While I cannot say I was close with Mike, he is, in many ways, the kind of person I want to be: Someone who grabs life by the horns and steers it toward so many amazing and exciting destinations.
Today, I attended Mike's memorial service in San Ramon and got to see my many relatives, immediate and distant. I know that, despite my insistence that I will try to stay in better touch, such a promise is hard to keep. Families can be very separated, usually for understandable reasons. In fact, yesterday was the first time I saw one of my uncles in person in about seven to eight years. Geography, money, and schedules can cause an enormous damper on family outings and reunions, and that's to be expected. And yet, I really and truly wish that I could have had one last conversation with Michael. I really and truly wish that, when I see my relatives, it doesn't have to be after losing a loved one. I know how valuable, and wonderful, my family can be.
Michael was a devout Catholic, so in respect to him, I pray that he has found his place beside the Lord in Heaven. He lived an incredible life, and I sincerely hope that he has the opportunity to go on an entirely different and extraordinary adventure altogether. Rest in peace, my dear cousin.
Love,
Belinda
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