Yesterday, we said goodbye to Michael. His best friend hosted a Celebration of Life to share stories and honor is life. It was a nice afternoon and I know he would have thought it was just right to honor him.
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| My brother made the box |
A poet once said, “Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation.” I know that Michael is here with us today.
My Uncle Michael loved animals and they loved him. I can remember that through my entire life, he always would bond with the animals our family had. They were naturally drawn to him. He had that in common with my Nana, his mom. I also remember that my nana and him would watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune every night. It always amazed me that he knew most of the answers, which is way better than I do. Michael could also fix or build anything. Unlike me, he always read the instructions or the manuals cover to cover and then dive into the project and successfully finish it. Michael was always reading. Anytime I saw him, he was either reading a book or reading on his tablet. This is something him and I have in common…. books, books, and more books.
Stephen King, one of Michael’s favorite authors (another thing we had in common), once said, “Quiet people have the loudest minds.” I know that Michael enjoyed life. He may not have always said it or showed but I know he did. He liked doing things with his friends, he truly enjoyed his This is Your Life trip with his brother John, living with his sister and the cats, commiserating with his nephew over the years about lots of current events and activities, and one upping me all the time over the past year. He loved his family, especially his mom and dad who, like Michael, were taken from us far too soon.
Last year, I remember him getting on a video call so he could show mom and I the Christmas lights. He was so excited to show us what he had done. I was so proud of him for doing the video call as well as the light display he did. It was great to see him proud of himself and all of his hard work.
Speaking of hard work, Michael tried to teach me how to drive. Surprisingly, he was so very patient. Unfortunately, I was not. It wasn’t his fault that it didn’t stick. That would be a job for someone else many years later!
We believe that even though he was fighting the cancer very hard that his last few years were some of his happiest. He joined the family in many celebrations, including a weekend long trip to Jacksonville to watch my brother get married. Unfortunately, we didn’t know it at the time but that would be the last time the entire family would be together. Michael was like the cats he adored. He survived so many things, I used to say he had nine lives. Every time we thought this could be it, he bounced back. He was such a strong fighter. But in the words of Stephen King, “Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.” Unfortunately, cancer was the monster in Michael that eventually won but he put up one heck of a fight. Something we all should admire.
Finally, in the words of one of my favorite authors, A.A. Milne, “How lucky am I to have something (or in this case someone) that makes saying goodbye so hard.” Michael is missed every day.
Tonight I found these pictures of Michael from his trip with John:
For tonight . . . I'm just sayin' XOXO
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