Last Christmas my husband and I made the very last minute and expensive decisions to go home to Jamaica for the holidays.
When we were agonizing over the decision we considered the fact that his grandmother who he has not seen in many years was going to be there. I remember remarking to him that so many of our relatives were aging and we should take the opportunity to see them when we could.
The resulting vacation was amazing.
At Christmas dinner I remember being so happy to see some of my older relatives including my grandparents and my Aunt Barbara & Uncle Gerry (my grandmother's brother and his wife). Aunt Barbara had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 9 years ago and she really did not look well. I had the distinct feeling that she did not have long left.
Aunt Barbara died last month after falling and breaking her thigh bone. She was not able to recover from the surgery that was necessary to repair it. Even though it was very sad for me I had seen it coming so I had been somewhat emotionally prepared.
What I was not prepared for was the call I got this morning that Uncle Gerry (her husband of well over 40 years) died suddenly. I can't help but feel that he died of a broken heart!
My family has experienced a great deal of loss lately and this is a not so gentle reminder that we need to take the time to appreciate the ones we love. One of the hardest parts of this is that I am the only one who lives so far away. I can't just jump in my car and hurry to be with my family.
This is my Uncle Gerry in his hey day as captain of the West Indies Cricket Team in the late 1950s.
So many Americans have never heard of cricket. Here's a snippet of the sport that is so beloved by my family!
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