R.I.P. Aunt Janice

Saturday morning we went to Salt Lake to my aunt Janice's funeral. I was asked to give a talk and Thayne was going to dedicate the grave. I felt so grateful to be able to speak at her funeral... I have great memories of each of my aunts, in different ways, different reasons, different times of my life, but I love them all and I wonder why do we do this? Why do we wait for someone to die before we get together and enjoy the company of each other? If we weren't there for a funeral it would have been the best family reunion! It was unexpected and sad to lose Janice. I am so grateful to know that she is truly in a better place. A place where she can find peace, and joy that sometimes eluded her in life. Whatever her life story was doesn't matter anymore... only that she left people that loved her, and were loved BY her. Because she truly knew how to love. Maybe in a way that could teach some of us. She loved unconditionally no matter what she got back. She showed interest, she cared. It took so little to make her happy. Her husband, Johnny told me how much the pictures of the kids meant to her, our Christmas card hung on their fridge. Do we remember how our actions can bring joy, or even pain to others? It has made me think about what I want to value in life. I know what I value, but I am not sure that I always 'do' what I value the most. I hope I can remember that we need to hang on to the here and now, and make the most of the little things... We really should enjoy the little things, because one day we will look back and realize they were the big things. I hope to remember to give and receive love and keep in mind that we never know when someone's end is, so live like there are no regrets!

Jean Paul Richter said: "Each departed friend is a magnet that attracts us to the next world." The first thing I thought of when my mom told me about Janice was that grandma must be SO happy to have another one of her daughters home with her! 8 sisters, 2 brothers and now 3 sisters and a brother are on the other side. Not gone, just away, doing something different. But going doesn't seem as sad when there are so many on the other side waiting...

In a beautiful blue lagoon on a clear day, a fine sailing-ship spreads its brilliant white canvas in a fresh morning breeze and sails out to the open sea. We watch her glide away magnificently through the deep blue and gradually see her grow smaller and smaller as she nears the horizon. Finally, where the sea and the sky meet, she slips silently from sight; and someone near me says, "There, she is gone!"

Gone where? Gone from sight- that is all. She is still as large in mast and hull and sail, still just as able to bear her load. And we can be sure that, just as we say, "There, she is gone!" another says, "There she comes!"