Sunday, June 16, 2024
Two words come to my mind when I think of Tante Clara; they are warmth and saintly. When you were around her she had a way of making you feel loved. I don’t know if there is a word that can describe this but she had a special charm and an appealing way that made you want to draw closer to her.
When I say saintly, I don’t mean in the abstract, I mean figuratively. My mother and her sister would gossip about her constantly. Recently, I asked Tante Clara if she was aware of those conversations. She knew all about them and told me almost verbatim many of the things that were said. Any other person would have held a grudge but she handled it with grace and dignity just as she conducted herself throughout her life. Her seventy year marriage to my uncle was a living testament to how her love and devotion could and did overcome any adversity.
The two hardest words to say are “Hello” for the first time, and “Goodbye” for the last time.
Goodbye, Tante Clara. I will miss you deeply.
Love, Peter
