No More Birthdays
Today I am grateful for my morning coffee and for life and health.
Today would have been the 65th birthday of my brother-in-law Roger. He died November 1, 2015, running out of birthdays after 64. Slowly taken to his death by the horrible disease of dementia (early onset, Lewy body).
In ways, he was gone before he was gone. In other ways, he was always present until he drew his last breath. And he is still here in ways. He lives on in those he loved and knew. He lives on in memories. And in the way he continues to inspire the rest of us to do things like go for a walk, hike up a mountainside, ride a bike, play a banjo, laugh. These are what my sister Aileen calls "doing a Roger."
I think mostly of my sister Danita, Roger's wife, today. A tough day to face for the first time after a loved one dies. No more birthdays. Life is not fair. Grieving is hard work.
We will all reach that point of no more birthdays. The question is what are you and I doing to live life fully today?
Today would have been the 65th birthday of my brother-in-law Roger. He died November 1, 2015, running out of birthdays after 64. Slowly taken to his death by the horrible disease of dementia (early onset, Lewy body).
In ways, he was gone before he was gone. In other ways, he was always present until he drew his last breath. And he is still here in ways. He lives on in those he loved and knew. He lives on in memories. And in the way he continues to inspire the rest of us to do things like go for a walk, hike up a mountainside, ride a bike, play a banjo, laugh. These are what my sister Aileen calls "doing a Roger."
I think mostly of my sister Danita, Roger's wife, today. A tough day to face for the first time after a loved one dies. No more birthdays. Life is not fair. Grieving is hard work.
We will all reach that point of no more birthdays. The question is what are you and I doing to live life fully today?
Thanks for powerful post.
ReplyDeleteThank you for remembering Roger and me. We had birthday cake on "our" rock at Horsetooth. Tyler, Ann and I toasted Roger and shared memories. He was such a joy and I miss him so much.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice way for you, Tyler, and Ann to celebrate Roger on his birthday.
DeleteI am glad the three of you made the trek to a special place for a special man.