Last night Dwayne and I went to Rolla to visit my sister's father-in-law in the hospital. Pete is in intensive care following lung surgery last week. Pete's breathing is very labored and he's hooked up to alot of machines. As we left, I told Dwayne that it brought back so many memories of his Mom when she was on life support. A lot of emotions running through my mind of that time. Dodie was on life support for six weeks and seeing Pete so bad made me realize once again how the decision to take Dodie off life support was an easier decision than we thought it would be.
After we left the hospital, we ate at Hardees and then decided to drive the back roads home. We hadn't been down Highway Y in a long time. My Uncle Hubert Feeler lives at the end of Hwy Y and I had not been to his house for over thirty years. I asked Dwayne to stop so we could visit. We had a very good visit. Aunt Ruby wasn't home as her and my cousin Delinda had gone to St. Louis to visit my cousin, Gina and her family. Uncle Hubert turned 91 this month and you would not be able to tell his age if you didn't know it. He still goes to work a few hours a day at the sawmill and feeds his cattle. I am so glad we stopped, brought back alot of memories of staying at their house when I was younger.
I know aging is a natural process, but it seems to hit home when so many of my relatives, parents included, reach this phase of their life. I remember when my great aunts and uncles passed away and that generation was gone. I don't remember my Grandma dwelling on their deaths, just accepting as the nature of life. I would so like to be like my Grandma in that aspect.
Now it's on to the next generation and I have so many wonderful memories of my relatives thoughout the years. Sunday afternoons visiting with family, family reunions, never a month went by that some of the family didn't get together. We are trying to keep that tradition up with our family. I think we, as a society, get so busy and caught up in life, we fail to stop and appreciate family and the importance of keeping the family circle intact.
I am very grateful for all of my ancestors who have been a legacy of love and wisdom though the years.
Brothers On Maps
2 days ago
Hi Connie...Saw your blog on Dana's last week & saved it to my favotites. Just read this entry. Just had to let you know for the last year or so I have have been thinking so much of my childhood & looking at pictures of my family (dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles)they are all gone & it is so hard to believe. Sometimes it is a lonely feeling. Even so many of our friends have passed on...thought I would share :-)
ReplyDeleteKim Eads
I often wonder if our grandparents (I'm sure they did, they just didn't talk about their feelings much then) felt the same way as they got older. But I remember my Grandma saying that was just life.
ReplyDeleteI do remember Dwayne's Granny Rea talking about the hardest part of getting older was losing her siblings and friends. I now understand what she was talking about.