Transitions

Two days ago our family lost another member. My aunt, Ruth, 91 years young died on July 31, three months after her 97 year old sister.  These two were the last of my father's siblings.   Now to the average person, 91 conjures up this image of senility,  a frail, humped over body, living in the past.  No, that was not my aunt Ruth.  You rarely heard "Ruthie" talking about the past.  She had a zest for life and all things new.    It's a legacy I will try to remember as I age.  While on our Alaska trip I talked to her several times during her battle with cancer.  She repeatedly said how much she would like to see pictures so as soon as we got home I chose 16 of my favorite photos and shipped them off to her.   She was a wonderful artist with an awesome eye for color and I was told that the day they arrived she was able to look at each photo and I can only hope that they gave her some joy to see a part of the world that perhaps she always wanted to visit.   She was an independent soul who had hoped for a year or two after her sister died to do some things other than caregiving but God obviously had other plans.   I had always hoped that she might get out to visit us one day and see the beautiful place that is Orcas but I can only imagine that her heavenly reunion presents a palette of colors beyond her wildest imagination.   Thank you, Ruthie, for all the memories you leave with us.