Woe! It’s Wednesday.

July 2007 Uncle Phil and Evelyn having a tea party

Regular readers know I’ve ranted a bit about death and how it sneaks up on us when we’re not watching. You also know we’ve lost some dear friends and loved ones in the last few years.
My Uncle Phil left us early this month.
Technically, he was my step-uncle since he was my step-mother’s brother.
He never treated me or my siblings or my husband or my children as anything except beloved family.
Phil was exuberant. Enthusiastic. Endearing.
He loved to cook and golf and fish and go to baseball games. Even more though, he loved to share those passions with his family.
We would visit my stepmother and Phil was always eager to share his latest recipe or wine.
At Phil’s memorial service, several people shared stories about how Phil discovered their love of raspberries or a certain liqueur. Afterwards, Phil always made sure he had that brand or that fruit or that whatever when they visited him. Or he would bring the raspberry tart to them when he came over to play cards or dominoes. 
At the memorial service and luncheon afterwards, there was plenty of laughter, a few tears, some delicious food, and lots of family.
The only thing missing was Uncle Phil’s presence.
When I was searching for an appropriate poem or quote to share, I found this from THE LORD OF THE RINGS:

PIPPIN: "I didn't think it would end this way."
GANDALF: "End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it."
PIPPIN: "What? Gandalf? See what?"
GANDALF: "White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise."
PIPPIN: "Well, that isn't so bad."
GANDALF: "No. No, it isn't.”