Today my Aunt Nita was buried next to her husband, parents and sister. She died Thursday after a long illness. It was her time and she was ready.
In November Aunt Nita would have been 99 years old. Think of all the changes she has seen in her lifetime. It's mind-boggling.
The last of her generation in our family, she was a great little (I don't think she ever quite made it to five feet tall) lady with quite the sense of humor. Laughing at things she said and did was great sport in our family, from her fondness for burnt toast to her calling team mates Andruw and Chipper Jones when they were on the Braves "salt and pepper".
I guess her death moves me up one more step on the ladder to the position of "next to the oldest generation". There's a sobering thought.
Last night at the reunion I'm attending I heard the word "legacy" mentioned more than once. That's an important concept to me - leaving behind a legacy. I heard it put this way (reminding me of what we used to say as Boy Scouts about our campground): "Leave it better than you found it."
Aunt Nita did. Any life she touched was the better for it. I hope the same will be said of me, whether my time is now at 54 or (heaven help my children) at 98.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
98! My word you will be a cranky old man.
A few years and many tears back I went out of my way on a D.C. trip to take my eldest child to see this amazing woman ... because, as you said, she (and her dear sister) ... were both legacies ... both of whom I loved dearly. I look forward to seeing Nita and Ellen in heaven ... I think one will be driving a chariot and the other honking the "horn" to warn me that they are coming as I near the intersection of Humor and Grace, sure to be the corner on which their mansion will be built!
Post a Comment