Tuesday, January 5, 2021
When I was around 10 years old, I spent the better part of the summer with Uncle John. It was the first time I spent one on one with him. Usually there were sisters, parents, cousins! At first I was nervous. Uncle John towered over me and had this tough New York accent. I thought he would rather me not bug him, so I tended to leave him alone. Whenever dinner was being cooked, I was left waiting with Uncle John.
However, in a few days... I started to notice that tough exterior was imagined. He didn’t want me to leave him alone. He wanted to hang out and spend time with his niece. I remember during that time bonding with Uncle John over watching television. I cannot recall what we watched, but I remember he made sure it was a mutual decision. I thought that was fantastic! In my house, being the youngest, I had no say in what we watched. He made me feel loved and welcome.
When I returned home, I asked my Mom if I could buy him a card. Just for him. I wanted to tell him that even though we seldom saw each other, I love him, and loved our time together.
Over the years, we definitely have not seen each other as often as I would have liked. I would see him and Aunt Michelle at weddings, but never made the time to travel back to New York for a true visit. I would always say “we should go to New York,” but then I allowed life to get in the way (kids, new jobs, moving, etc.). I would give anything to have that time back with him. I would love to hear his stories, hear his gruff voice, and tell him even though we did not see each other often enough, I love him. He made me realize that even though he seemed like a tough guy, he had a heart of gold. I also always felt he loved and cared for me, no matter the distance.
Uncle John you will be missed so much. Aunt Michelle, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
