Some people are taken from us too early. My aunt is a prime example of this. She was only forty-four when, after a day at the pool, she came down with some flu-like symptoms. Soon it became apparent that this was more than the flu. After being in the hospital two weeks, she went brain dead due to brain swelling. Two days later she was turned off life support, leaving behind her husband and two daughters, four and six, with no answers on what illness killed her. A week later at their episcopal church a beautiful service was held to honor her. Thesis statement. I woke up before dawn on a Saturday. I almost grumbled about the early hour when I remembered why I was up so early, Stephanie’s funeral. “Pull it together,” I thought to myself as I almost started crying. This was going to be a difficult day. My older sister, Sarah, and I pulled on our nice dresses and were out of the house by eight fifteen. We now had a long drive to our uncle’s house in Atlanta. In the car we talked about anything except the day ahead of us, but Stephanie’s absence was still felt in small ways. “Where are the directions to Pete and Steph… Um, I mean Pete’s house?” I asked my sister. Silence was the response. Both of us thinking about how it isn’t Aunt Steph’s house anymore. How Aunt …show more content…
Stephanie wasn’t around at all anymore. We swallowed back our tears and kept driving, changing the subject back to happy and meaningless stories. After getting lost, we eventually made it to my uncle’s house. Inside my two cousins, Reese and Riley, are watching tv with their dad, unsurprisingly stuck to him like Velcro. My grandma is in the overstuffed kitchen joking about how they are going to need to start dropping off food on other people’s doorsteps because one family couldn’t possibly eat this much food. I then begrudgingly hand her the quiche my mom made, hoping she doesn’t see the irony in this situation. Sarah and I are given kid duty, tasked with getting the girls up and ready to go before the funeral. Reese is bouncing off the walls, hopping around on one foot and running from room to room. Riley is the exact opposite. She is tired and gloomy, but perks up when she sees Sarah. We jump on their trampoline, eat breakfast, and have fun until my grandma pulls us inside to get ready. Reese refuses to put on the navy and white dress laid out for her and instead dons a bright pink dress. Nobody has the heart to tell her to change. We finally get to the church, but we have a while to go before the actual service. Close family and friends all gather in the reception room. Everyone is just standing around catching up, until the director of the church tells us it is time. We walk up to the main lobby of the church and are about to enter when Riley bursts out in tears. She tells us she doesn’t want to go into the church, and although the original plan had been to have them sit through the service, Pete decides it would be for the best if Reese and Riley went to the daycare instead. On her way out Riley runs up to Sarah to ask if she will go with her. Sarah says yes, and they both disappear down a flight of stairs behind us. Out of nowhere a bell starts chiming.
That is our cue to walk into the church and sit down. I’m amazed at the number of people there. Every single pew is filled, and there are people sitting in spare chairs in the back. We sing hymns, say prayers, and listen to speeches, but one speech stood out from the rest. Reverend Owen LAST NAME is my uncle’s best friend from elementary school. Before he even starts his speech people are crying when they realize that he and my uncle are wearing the same suits they wore to his and Stephanie’s wedding. The main message of his speech was pals, and the huge community that my aunt had built around herself. We laughed and cried, and I honestly felt moved by his
speech. For the rest of the service, I barely listened and just stared at the stained glass windows. I realized how grateful I am to have my family. Life is so fleeting, so you have to make the most of every moment. If my aunt, a healthy forty-four year old woman, could be taken from us this quickly and unexpectedly, anyone could. Stephanie was a kind person who knew the importance of family and friends. She brought people together instead of tearing them apart. I’m going to try to be more like that to honor her. Sarah and I are going to be a greater part of Reese and Riley’s life now, because this is just the beginning of the struggle for them. My uncle and cousins have the hardest path ahead of them. Learning to live without a mother and wife can be one of the hardest things to do. I believe my family will be able to get through this, but not soon. Hopefully after time my family will be able to do what humans have done for centuries, persevere.
She thought about her family, and the neighbors, and the town, and the dogs next door, and everyone and everything she has ever met or seen. As she began to cry harder, she looked out the window at the stores and buildings drifting past, becoming intoxicated suddenly with the view before her. She noticed a young woman at the bus stop, juggling her children on one side of her, shielding them from the bus fumes.
On Sunday, December 3 I attended the Solemn Mass at the Church of the Advent, in the North End. Now, you have to understand that I am religiously challenged, at best. I’ve been to my share of weddings and funerals, but growing up I averaged one regular church service every year or two. When I did go, it was either to Hardshell Baptist or Dunkard Bretheren services, with my father or mother’s side of the family, respectively. Both these denominations focus heavily on simplicity and egalitarianism. The churches are usually one room, wooden affairs with a simple lectern. The music draws heavily on the English folk tradition, and the service is delivered in a straightforward manner.
He would sit on the chair before he preach and read stories in the bible to the children of the church. As I sat on it was as I connected with my grandfather. After I got settled I talked to the pastor about helping people in the church by giving food and different types of gifts so he told me it could be done in 3 days. In the three days I prayed and went around inviting people in the neighborhood and calling different churches to come and participate in the festivities. On the morning of the third day I notice people started to come and seats where getting filled so me and my mom and aunts started to cook it was a long 3 hours but we finished. After everyone entered the church I gave everyone brand new bible and other things that they will need for church after I leave. That day we sang songs, listen to the pastor preach and prayed to God. After church ended I brought out the food. I passed out about 300 plates of food and drinks to everyone that made it that day. The greatest thing about this time was seeing all the smiles on everyone face and this motivate me to keep helping
The ride home had been the most excruciating car ride of my life. Grasping this all new information, coping with grief and guilt had been extremely grueling. As my stepfather brought my sister and I home, nothing was to be said, no words were leaving my mouth.Our different home, we all limped our ways to our beds, and cried ourselves to sleep with nothing but silence remaining. Death had surprised me once
On a chilly, December day, the Peterson family began their day as usual. The day started with the father, Paul, making breakfast while the mother, Lia, packed lunches. They had one daughter, Taylor. She was in ninth grade at Westfield high. This particular morning when they were getting ready for work and school, Taylor excitedly reminded her parents about her upcoming choir concert that night. Taylor had been given a solo and was excited to surprise her parents with it. As they headed out the door, they all gave hugs and said their I love you's. Taylor watched her parents drive away together as she waited for the bus to pick her up.
Today I wake up and stretch. I look around and see what's going on. I spent the night up on the bed and is so very comfortable. I normally get to spend my night sleep next to my parents if you will. I tend to stay on my mom's side as she is more willing to let me have some space. Dad doesn’t like when im on his side.
April 28th, 2015. This date is forever forged in my mind and has impacted the way I live my everyday life. My Aunt Nomie, the pillar of the Barrow family, passed away after a hard fought battle of cancer. Although she fought the good fight, the many treatments and chemotherapy she went through was unfortunately not enough to keep her healthy. Her unique and happy soul kept the family together through the years, taught me to always look for the good in any bad that came my way, and kept us dying of laughter in the worst of times. She lit up any room she entered with her smile that went from ear to ear, no matter the circumstance. She fought with strength, determination, and killer faith. After receiving the news on the morning of April 28th, 2015, I knew my life would never be the same.
Having church at eleven o'clock is difficult for our family. Church time is play time, followed by lunch, and ending with naps. Needless to say, we always struggle during that first hour before we can deposit both Jenny Beth and Juliana into the nursery for the remaining two hours. I admit, it's crazy to expect a one-year-old and a two-year-old to sit quietly through an hour of inspirational talks that they consider boring. Nevertheless, we attend church as a family. This particular Sunday was no different.
The edges of the bare counter almost punctured my clammy hands, sending a sharp pain up my arms; my legs trembled as I tried to keep myself upright as I stood among the rest of my family. Their faces remained sullen as they stood in a jagged line along the walls of the congested ICU room. Grandma sat next to Kristy, hands clenched around her daughter’s limp hand and her rosary, trying to find any guidance from God. Her eyes never left Kristy’s face, but Kristy’s son did not dare look upon her face, for it was too overbearing. Cody knelt on the floor with his head in his hands, he wept in the arms of our grandfather who held him in comfort even though his face remained somber. Kristy’s pale skin and emotionless face was something no one ever
Every kid in the family loved going to Aunt Nell’s house. Who would not want to spend the summer with a huge inground pool, Corvette in the garage, central air conditioning in a red brick house in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Cincinnati? Aunt Nell was a sweet, but stern older lady that never missed Sunday church. Her house will go down in our family’s history as being the best places to spend the hot days of summer.
company she would tell us very seriously to act nicely in front of them or
When I was eight years old my grandma would tell me stories about her time in Hawaii. My grandma spent over ten years in that country. Some of my favorite stories was when she saw all types of exotic animals. These animals were the reason I alwaysed loved her stories. I would always get so caught up in the stories that it was hard not to pretend I was there. I would always tell you that I wanted to go there when I get older, she would always laugh and smile when I said that. Hawaii has always been in my life, not just my grandma’s stories but also in the pictures she would show me. I want to travel to Hawaii with my grandma so I could let her relive her time in Hawaii.
Growing up, my parents were very tradition in the aspect that they had favored my first brother because he was the eldest son even though I was the oldest of all the children. My mother used to lecture me, as early as age 4 or 5, that I needed to learn how to sweep the floor, wipe the table, and start learning how to wash the dishes because one day, I was going to get married and needed to know how to do all those things. I hated it and never put in any effort when I was doing my chores because I would have much rather be outside playing with my brothers and the neighborhood kids. Once I entered my teenage years, I was expected to come straight home after school and cook for the family before starting on my homework.
This was followed by the greetings in which we awkwardly shake hands with the people around us, who we would soon forget the faces of. The Pastor made his grand appearance onto the stage soon after his name was Andrew he wore nothing that made him stand out as a Pastor actually his shirt was rather wrinkled. His sermon was about 30 minutes long and was about staying awake in one 's faith, during which he quoted many Bible passages but did no official reading from the Bible. During this time many people had their phones out, one lady in particular had her phone out taking from what I could tell was notes on his sermon. The sermon followed quickly by the sharing of the bread and wine, this apparently took an army of people to do because of the sheer size of the congregation. They then started the singing back up which is when Shelby and I decided to take our leaving knowing that they would sing a few songs and afterwards many of them would be dispersing to their vehicles to cause