Editorials

32,000 feet February 28, 2008 - No reporter cited

Sometimes we just have to be re-taught.

Just when I thought I controlled everything in my life, God let me know exactly who is really in control.

I thought I learned sometime ago not to take people for granted. Even with my grandfather, I knew he wouldn’t be around always, and that’s partially why I told him how I felt about him.

This year, I have attended three funerals; the first was for precious infant twins and the last was for my Aunt Irene.

I knew she was battling cancer – multiple myeloma to be exact, but, I also knew that she was a fighter.

When I found out that she had passed, I was in disbelief.

I wouldn’t cry at home, but the moment I told the editor and publisher of The Nashville News, I began to sob uncontrollably. As selfish as it sounds, I sobbed not for Irene, but for me. It seems to me like the Lord takes all of the ‘good’ ones away from me and leaves the bad ones here (maybe so they can repent).

Aunt Irene was my great-aunt; figuratively and literally. I was close to her and her twin sister, Pauline.

After her funeral last Thursday, somewhere between Milwaukee and Chicago, I began to think about all the things I wanted to say about her.

Once I got on my connecting flight from Chicago to Little Rock, I decided to write about her.

At 32,000 feet, the earth is extremely beautiful. Seeing the sun pierce over the fluffy white clouds made me think about Aunt Irene even more.

Had I accepted the fact that she had passed, I could have said this to everyone at her funeral: We called Irene and Pauline “the twins.” And they did everything together; laughed, cried, danced, shopped, etc. When Irene was first diagnosed with cancer, Pauline was there and immediately became Irene’s personal doctor. Pauline dropped everything to be by her side.

Irene came from and had an incredible family. She and her husband, Eddie, loved each other dearly and were the “perfect couple” in my opinion. They were always there for their family, no matter what.

Irene had this distinct laugh that made you do the same. And her smile, gosh, it was beautiful.

On February 15, God called her home. I bet she rejoiced, smiled and laughed the entire way to Heaven.

My grandfather used to say, “People used to be here today and gone tomorrow. But now, they are here today and gone today.”

He was right.

My advice to anyone who loves someone is to never think that you can hold off until tomorrow to say something important or to even tell them that you love them; because you may not get that tomorrow.

The thing that I regret the most is not going to Milwaukee more often to see my family - once a year was and is not enough.

But, just as I am sad now, I realize that the same God who created the earth is the same God who has my Aunt Irene back with him.

Now, my grandpa and her brothers have a new neighbor up there with them.

I just hope that their view of the earth is as beautiful as mine was at 32,000 feet.

↑ Top