7,000 Miles - Trying to Transcend the Distance

This past week I was reminded twice why living over 7,000 miles from home can be difficult. My Great Uncle Jack and a good friend's mother both passed away.

I debated about whether I should write about this on my blog but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I needed to share my thoughts from here.

My Great Uncle Jack

When I was little, Great Uncle Jack and Great Aunt Dorothy lived right down the street from my Great Aunt Dort (GAD) and Great Uncle Emory (GUE) in Lincoln. Each year they hosted Christmas. From my perspective as a child their home had an enormous great room with 2 story ceilings and a huge stone fireplace. As I ran around with my cousins I heard the clicking of my black patten leather shoes on the tile floor. In this same room was a large piano and steps which lead upstairs to bedrooms. Along the rail of these steps, hung our Christmas stockings. Each embroidered with our names (mine says Meg). I have no idea how accurate my memories are, everything seems so big when you are so little.

Each Christmas all of our relatives would go to there. To spend time together, to celebrate and catch up with one another. The room was always filled to capacity and every chair, bench and sofa arm had someone sitting on it. The house had such a warmth and you felt good just being in the space. Yes because of everyone together, but mostly in part due to Uncle Jack and Aunt Dorothy. These special holidays are contain some of my favorite memories.

As I grew older I learned more about Uncle Jack. He was kind and funny, opinionated and supportive. A wonderful grandfather and great grandfather. Every time I saw him, he always asked where my next adventure was taking me. He particularly was interested when I lived overseas in Korea for a year. I remember talking with him about his friends who had been stationed there and what their lives were like while living in Korea. Times had changed greatly since I was there due to the years passing, but this long talk really gave me a better understanding of Korea and some of the struggles that both U.S. military and Koreans had during the war.

As I was writing this post, I began to look through some family photos I have on my computer. What I noticed about each one that Uncle Jack is in, he's smiling. No matter if the picture was posed or candid. And that's how I remember him, always smiling, always there, always supportive of everyone. I'm going to miss seeing his smile and sharing about Brazil with him this Christmas but I know he'll be with us in spirit.

And to my good friend - Know that I'm thinking of you here.