This is probably one of the only pictures of Uncle Don I have, but it says it all. There he is, walking his best girl (next to her mom) down the aisle as she gets ready to get married. You can all but see the pride on his face as he looks at her...to him, she's perfect, just the way she is. I imagine he's also whispering words of humor and encouragement, because that's also who he was. He loved us all with all his heart...and we always knew it. He just had that way about him.
As children we all called him Uncle Elvis. He wore his "greaser" 'do with pride...and that never changed...only his hair color. He had a way of setting each of us kids at ease...which is no small feat considering that there were 18 of us...all with very strong, very different personalities. There was NO question in our clan that we were all pretty rowdy, outspoken, unruly bunch...especially when we got together. But he always took it in stride...always with a smart alleck comment, a hair pull...something to let us know that each of us was special and unique.
As a child of a broken home, I used to watch his relationship with Aunt Carol (and Uncle Steve's with Aunt Julie) and hope that I'd be lucky enough to find someone who loved me like that. Last fall when my grandma died, these feelings were cemented...by some old home videos that they'd had digitally transferred onto DVD. It showed them in high school...and later... I saw the way Uncle Don looked at Aunt Carol as they prepared to leave for the prom...like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. I watched him steal a kiss from her during the holidays as gifts were being handed out and exchanged... And I realized...It's a love like that...one that's stood the test of time...one that's just bone deep...one that simply IS... THAT's what I want.
Everyone was blessed to have Uncle "Elvis" in their lives. The cousins from the "divorced" side of the family never felt like "misfits" when he was around. We just somehow knew we'd be okay...and that he knew it too. Honestly, sometimes I think he spent a little extra time with us just to make sure we knew just how much a part of the family WE were...no matter how screwed up our parents' relationships were. Honestly, even now, I think the best move Aunt Carol ever made was marrying him and making him a member of our family. I couldn't have asked for a better uncle.
It's gonna be tough without him. I can only imagine how Aunt Carol, Amy, Donnie, and Barry feel...I mean, Aunt Carol has had him there for over 45 years... I really HATE Cancer.
As children we all called him Uncle Elvis. He wore his "greaser" 'do with pride...and that never changed...only his hair color. He had a way of setting each of us kids at ease...which is no small feat considering that there were 18 of us...all with very strong, very different personalities. There was NO question in our clan that we were all pretty rowdy, outspoken, unruly bunch...especially when we got together. But he always took it in stride...always with a smart alleck comment, a hair pull...something to let us know that each of us was special and unique.
As a child of a broken home, I used to watch his relationship with Aunt Carol (and Uncle Steve's with Aunt Julie) and hope that I'd be lucky enough to find someone who loved me like that. Last fall when my grandma died, these feelings were cemented...by some old home videos that they'd had digitally transferred onto DVD. It showed them in high school...and later... I saw the way Uncle Don looked at Aunt Carol as they prepared to leave for the prom...like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. I watched him steal a kiss from her during the holidays as gifts were being handed out and exchanged... And I realized...It's a love like that...one that's stood the test of time...one that's just bone deep...one that simply IS... THAT's what I want.
Everyone was blessed to have Uncle "Elvis" in their lives. The cousins from the "divorced" side of the family never felt like "misfits" when he was around. We just somehow knew we'd be okay...and that he knew it too. Honestly, sometimes I think he spent a little extra time with us just to make sure we knew just how much a part of the family WE were...no matter how screwed up our parents' relationships were. Honestly, even now, I think the best move Aunt Carol ever made was marrying him and making him a member of our family. I couldn't have asked for a better uncle.
It's gonna be tough without him. I can only imagine how Aunt Carol, Amy, Donnie, and Barry feel...I mean, Aunt Carol has had him there for over 45 years... I really HATE Cancer.
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2 comments:
I bet he would smile on how you remember him, They never really die do they? They live in our hearts and memories and he sounds like he brought you happy ones. I know you never will forget him and how he made you feel, I guess death is always a reminder of how limited we really are and to make the best of everyday. He sounds like he did just that for you and your family. Again, I am sorry for your loss and I am always here for you.
Thanks, Natty Jo...I appreciate your love and support.
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