Passing On
This past Sunday I was woken up to my phone ringing at 7:15am. I looked at it, and saw it was my brother calling, and it didn't process that he was calling at 6:15am his time, only that it was really early, and I didn't understand why he'd be calling, so I didn't answer. Then it clicked that something was wrong, cuz he wouldn't call that early...and I called him right back...
My uncle had past away. Specifically, my Kiritphoa (Dad's sister's husband), had a heart attack on Saturday night, and died before getting to the hospital.
Of course, the family gathered at my aunt's house, an uncle flew in from Atlanta, and a cousin (daughter) flew in from New Jersey. One cousin in Atlanta and I were the only ones not to make it back, though it wasn't expected. I talked to my aunt, who obviously was very distraught, and didn't really converse with me.
Then the rest of the day came. I was in Philadelphia, and it didn't really hit me that my uncle had passed away. A cousin was in town, and we got together and went to watch the Bears game at a local bar, and then had dinner. The next morning, I went to work, and it was back to life as usual. As I think about it now though, I realize that it doesn't entirely make sense to go right back to life as usual. Its not life as usual, there's someone missing. I was not very close to my uncle, not much more than pleasantries when we met, which was a few times a year. Even so, though, when I go back to Chicago, he won't be there...no chance of running into him at the Indian store near his old house...no talking about what's going on with the banks in India...
I have 15 sets of aunts and uncles, and of those 30 people only 3 have passed away. The other 2, I really didn't know at all, only had met them a few times in my life. Both of my grandfathers have passed away in my life, and while I didn't have tremendouse contact with them, I did have attachment to them...
So this is different...my contact, less attachment, yet, its a change from normal...
Interesting thing is that since I'm so far away, there's a really easy sense of detachment...I'm not involved with the family on a daily basis, and it makes me a little immune from what's happening in Chicago.
Life goes on now. I think about my uncle's passing, and realize that he lived to see more than he ever could have imagined 15 years ago. He's seen his eldest daughter buy a beautiful new home, and see 2 of his grand-daughters grow up with him. He's seen his youngest 2 daughters overcome bad marriages, and become happy with their families. He was able to buy a home in India that wouldn't have been possible with American dollars.
So we'll all miss my uncle, but we can rest easy that he was able to live a great life...and he's now onto something better...
My uncle had past away. Specifically, my Kiritphoa (Dad's sister's husband), had a heart attack on Saturday night, and died before getting to the hospital.
Of course, the family gathered at my aunt's house, an uncle flew in from Atlanta, and a cousin (daughter) flew in from New Jersey. One cousin in Atlanta and I were the only ones not to make it back, though it wasn't expected. I talked to my aunt, who obviously was very distraught, and didn't really converse with me.
Then the rest of the day came. I was in Philadelphia, and it didn't really hit me that my uncle had passed away. A cousin was in town, and we got together and went to watch the Bears game at a local bar, and then had dinner. The next morning, I went to work, and it was back to life as usual. As I think about it now though, I realize that it doesn't entirely make sense to go right back to life as usual. Its not life as usual, there's someone missing. I was not very close to my uncle, not much more than pleasantries when we met, which was a few times a year. Even so, though, when I go back to Chicago, he won't be there...no chance of running into him at the Indian store near his old house...no talking about what's going on with the banks in India...
I have 15 sets of aunts and uncles, and of those 30 people only 3 have passed away. The other 2, I really didn't know at all, only had met them a few times in my life. Both of my grandfathers have passed away in my life, and while I didn't have tremendouse contact with them, I did have attachment to them...
So this is different...my contact, less attachment, yet, its a change from normal...
Interesting thing is that since I'm so far away, there's a really easy sense of detachment...I'm not involved with the family on a daily basis, and it makes me a little immune from what's happening in Chicago.
Life goes on now. I think about my uncle's passing, and realize that he lived to see more than he ever could have imagined 15 years ago. He's seen his eldest daughter buy a beautiful new home, and see 2 of his grand-daughters grow up with him. He's seen his youngest 2 daughters overcome bad marriages, and become happy with their families. He was able to buy a home in India that wouldn't have been possible with American dollars.
So we'll all miss my uncle, but we can rest easy that he was able to live a great life...and he's now onto something better...
posted by Mitesh at 7:20 PM
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