Losing someone you love in life is never easy...and you typically can't prepare for it either. For the second time in my life, I'm finding out that losing a loved one while far from home adds additional pain to the loss. Today, I woke up to a message from my mother saying that my Uncle Phil had passed away. I'll spare the details. This was the guy that always asked me if I wanted a beer when he saw me. The guy that gave me a $20 on my 21st to "buy some booze" as he put it. I'll miss him.
I'm usually pretty good about leaving my personal life outside the walls of a school building or classroom. I put on a happy face, I go about my business, and then I leave at the end of the day. Simple as that! Today I tried my best to be the same...I'm not very good at disguising my emotions if you wanted to know so it was easy for the other teachers at my school to recognize something was wrong. Probably because I'm always sunshine and smiles when I come to school every other day. It's hard for me to talk about the loss of a loved one in English...I couldn't begin to explain in Romanian. So I waited until after class and told Monica, my counterpart, what had happened...I didn't want to do that because she's so emotional anyway. She about cut off the circulation to my head when she hugged me around the neck, but if I'm honest it was nice to have some support.
Not that I'm lacking support. My family and friends at home are unbelievable, but I learned that the people that are part of Peace Corps Romania are extraordinary, caring individuals.
So, though I'm far away...my prayers are with my family especially Aunt Karen! I love you all, and I really wish I could be there!
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You couldn't have explained it any better than you did. We all will miss him terribly.
ReplyDeleteLove you,
Aunt Lisa
Hope this finds you well. I understand exactly what you mean about the homesickness when family passes on. I was in the Air Force when Grandpa Mounsey passed, in Georgia when Shorty went, and again in GA when Grandma Boyle passed. I missed the births of all my nieces and nephews, save one, and have been away from home as long as home was home. As time passes in locales other than the big B-town, you come to realize how big the world is and how small the possibilities were in Indiana. Enjoy the experiences and cherish the roots because it is true what they say, Home is Where the Heart Is! Love ya, proud of ya, enjoy and grow.
ReplyDeleteUncle Gary