saying goodbye

Last Tuesday, the 15th, my Uncle John passed away. He was only 62. I spent time with loved ones on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, as we said goodbye to the man who's been part of our family for 30 years.

This is a picture from my wedding in 1992. Aunt Bernice and Uncle John were the hosts at our reception:And this is a more recent photo, from last New Year's Eve:
My cousin Michelle read the following poem at John's funeral:

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads his white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.

He is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last he hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says,
"There he goes!"

Gone where?

Gone from my sight . . . that is all.

He is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as he was when he left my side
and just as able to bear his load of living freight
to the place of destination.

His diminished size is in me, not in him.

And just at the moment
when someone at my side says,
"There he goes!"
there are other eyes watching him coming . . .
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout . . .

"Here he comes!"

~ by Henry Van Dyke

Goodbye, Uncle John. You are missed.