An Autumn Day in November
last week, i posted that my Grandfather passed away.
Last night, I learned that a close ... very close family friend had also passed away.
Like my grandfather, he too, was sick.
Unlike my grandfather, he was very young.
Young by my standards.
Young like 57.
He leaves behind a wife, 3 kids... 2 in college, one in high school.
I taught the youngest in Sunday School.
I was chaperone for the three of them every now and then when we all wanted to go out as a big group.
Those years had come and gone.
And now, so is Tito Steve.
Today was the viewing.
Tomorrow will be the funeral and burial.
I'd been asked to be a pallbearer.
It's a different direction from being an altar server.
There, it's surreal, looking from the altar at the casket, at the family, at the mourners of friends and family. But now, to be with the family during the service will be a different feeling. The emotion will be more concentrated. My heart and my eyes cry. Not for Tito Steve. He's in a better place, and not suffering. No. My heart goes out to those left behind. To Tita Beth, Liz, Christine, and Joe. To everyone else.
I remember when we used to live a few blocks away, we'd go visit, and before we had our own lemon tree in the back, they would share some from their tree. And even when ours was growing, they still shared. I remember the dances and parties we would all attend. He would sometimes dance with Tita Beth, as the kids sat down for a breather. More often, they would just sit and watch everyone. I remember visiting their house, whether for social gatherings or just personal visits since they lived so close. I remember the Thanksgivings and Christmas' we all shared as families together. The photographs are proof, should memory ever fail. He was a loving husband, father, brother, friend, coworker, and doctor.
I told my Tita Mags, it's sad, but it's always better when it's someone you weren't close to, someone who may have been a friend or acquaintance, but not so close... but when the person we lose is one we love, one we are close to, it is just so hard to accept.
It is a cold autumn day in November. God, please make tomorrow beautiful so that though in his passing we cry and remember Tito Steve, when we remember this day, we'll remember how beautiful it was when he left us.
"God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be,
So He put His arms around you,
And whispered 'Come to Me'.
With tearful eyes we watched you,
And saw you pass away,
And though we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay,
A golden heart stopped beating,
With gentle hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best."
Rest in Peace, Tito Steve.
Sunrise, March 22, 1948 - Sunset, November 17, 2005
Last night, I learned that a close ... very close family friend had also passed away.
Like my grandfather, he too, was sick.
Unlike my grandfather, he was very young.
Young by my standards.
Young like 57.
He leaves behind a wife, 3 kids... 2 in college, one in high school.
I taught the youngest in Sunday School.
I was chaperone for the three of them every now and then when we all wanted to go out as a big group.
Those years had come and gone.
And now, so is Tito Steve.
Today was the viewing.
Tomorrow will be the funeral and burial.
I'd been asked to be a pallbearer.
It's a different direction from being an altar server.
There, it's surreal, looking from the altar at the casket, at the family, at the mourners of friends and family. But now, to be with the family during the service will be a different feeling. The emotion will be more concentrated. My heart and my eyes cry. Not for Tito Steve. He's in a better place, and not suffering. No. My heart goes out to those left behind. To Tita Beth, Liz, Christine, and Joe. To everyone else.
I remember when we used to live a few blocks away, we'd go visit, and before we had our own lemon tree in the back, they would share some from their tree. And even when ours was growing, they still shared. I remember the dances and parties we would all attend. He would sometimes dance with Tita Beth, as the kids sat down for a breather. More often, they would just sit and watch everyone. I remember visiting their house, whether for social gatherings or just personal visits since they lived so close. I remember the Thanksgivings and Christmas' we all shared as families together. The photographs are proof, should memory ever fail. He was a loving husband, father, brother, friend, coworker, and doctor.
I told my Tita Mags, it's sad, but it's always better when it's someone you weren't close to, someone who may have been a friend or acquaintance, but not so close... but when the person we lose is one we love, one we are close to, it is just so hard to accept.
It is a cold autumn day in November. God, please make tomorrow beautiful so that though in his passing we cry and remember Tito Steve, when we remember this day, we'll remember how beautiful it was when he left us.
"God saw you getting tired
and a cure was not to be,
So He put His arms around you,
And whispered 'Come to Me'.
With tearful eyes we watched you,
And saw you pass away,
And though we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay,
A golden heart stopped beating,
With gentle hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best."
Rest in Peace, Tito Steve.
Sunrise, March 22, 1948 - Sunset, November 17, 2005
posted by Bum at 21:50
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