Uncle Ed

The world lost a good man yesterday. I came in from a run today and a serious Paul pulled me into our bedroom with bad news. It seems my Gramps and cousin Kenny had both called to let us know my Uncle Ed passed away yesterday after suffering another heart attack. I knew as soon as Paul said... "Your Uncle..." what was about to come. A flurry of images flew through my mind. The bear hugs he always gave. The dollar bills he would slip to me for each A on my report card, no words to explain, just a smile and a wink. His beautiful house in Hesperia with the huge yard, and how he would encourage me to run wild in his own little chunk of the desert. His faith in God, and the lively intelligent debates we would have over lunch in his kitchen. His 50th wedding anniversary party to my Aunt Cecilia... My Aunt Cecilia in their home, without him. My heart cracked and the tears crept down my sweaty face. My Aunt, one of the most beautiful souls I've ever know. A strong woman who stood behind my Uncle for over 50 years and would now have to walk without him. Her faith will carry her as it always has.

Aunt Cecilia and I last month, this woman is around 80 and still fit and gorgeous!

If there is anything I learned from my Uncle Ed, it is how a man who loves God carries himself. I may not have agreed with everything that his religion entailed, but I respected the dedication with which he followed it. He and my Aunt have been faithful Jehovah's Witnesses since before I was born. I've heard that in his younger years my Uncle was a bit more stubborn, but with age he settled into himself and showed me nothing but respect for my beliefs. We could sit and talk about anything... religion, politics, race... all three mixed together as they often are. He followed his interpretation of the bible as closely as he could, with my Aunt's gentle help of course. A God who created flowers and the color blue could not help but love a man like my Uncle. If he is not with God right now, then surely I do not know God.

I am blessed to have had him as my Uncle, blessed to have had the chance to learn from him and be a part of his life. I will miss him. I already do.

JT, Mica & Uncle Ed