Aunt Patsy Lou

This past week, I received a call from my cousin that my mother’s sister, Aunt Pat, had passed away suddenly on Wednesday. I had heard that we only have a few truly close people in our lives that we connect on the deepest level and relate to with trust, open and honest fellowship in the confidential and relaxed sharing and interchange of ideas, opinions, dreams & thoughts, safe and without reservations. In the years following the passing of my mother, I had developed this relationship with my Aunt Pat and realized the excellence of her natural loving quality of family and practical knowledge from years of experience in this world’s school of “hard knocks” combined to produce and shape a fine gem. The word “eulogy” is defined as “an oration in high praise of a person; to extol”. Let me tell you a little about my priceless Aunt. She was quite a character with a heart to match and exceed ... a one-in-a-million. There has been much said these days about both the attack on the family and the lack of family love, interaction & influence in our society, but it was God that made the family to care & support, love & fellowship, teach priorities, values & virtues in community. Character, loyalty, honor, respect, hospitality, courtesy, kindness, integrity, manners, charity, duty, faith, industry, dedication and devotion, which are not old school notions that passed away decades ago and forgotten. They are the fabric of society found in family and community as the Lord designed us to live. It’s not hard to see that it is these qualities that are lacking or perverted today that have a cultural in chaos. Self-life has produced a society that is blind to these balanced and healthy values and virtues, but some have eyes that see the truth and a heart filled with love, not of self, but of family and community. Aunt Pat was there, but with a unique “rough-on-the-edges” hilarious personality. She always said that we can laugh or cry at life’s situations. So her talks and stories would have everyone smiling at her humor. There had been many hard times in her child and adult life that she fought through with steadfast courage and determination, and conquered. Even in the last years, battling cancer and health issues in her late seventies, her outlook was that “life was worth living with joy”. Aunt Pat was experienced, knowledgeable, loving and strong because of her trying years. And she passed her wisdom on, to those who had ears to hear, in funny tales. Not ignoring the serious, but exposing with light and a light heart bathed in good old fashioned family values. I was blessed to have the Lord give me such a character in one of the closest people in my life … my Aunt Patsy Lou. We would, seemingly, talk for hours on the phone. I learned from her, love in demonstration, what family should look like. I knew her love. Rest in peace, I shall see you again soon on streets paved in gold, my priceless Aunt. Don’t take for granted the loved ones in your life. Talk to them, make and spend time together enjoy their company. Enjoy every moment, creating cherished lifetime memories, founded and finished in pure love. Don't forget to tell your family that you love them either. One day they will go to be with the Lord. And I hope that you will be able to say that your life was blessed by them becasue you didn't miss the opportunity. God made family; love & enjoy them. In Christ, Brian