See you later not goodbye

I should be packing, showering and in general getting ready to leave, however, as I am never good at keeping my feelings to myself I feel the need to jot a few things down.
I have said it before and I will say it again, I am so glad I went to my family reunion, I am so happy to be in contact with the family that I spent my early years with. I really didn’t realize how much I missed them until I reconnected with them. They were the first influences in my life, my cousin Patrick for teaching me to jump and spin at the same time, Cindy and Paula tolerating me following them like a puppy dog.
My Grandparents babied me, my Great Aunt Effie taught me real humanity, to treat all God’s creatures with kindness, from the stray dog on the street to the stray human on the street. She had a smile for everyone along with a kind word. She taught me that even if you have a physical impairment (she was legally blind) it didn’t have to mean you were helpless. You could still contribute to your family and society as a whole.
So today I travel to be with my cousins and Aunt who have lost the biggest influence in their life, a father, husband, grandfather, uncle, soldier, friend, he had so many titles and wore them all with grace and humility. I can only pray that I will do and say the things that they need in their time of grief, I thank God for bringing them back into my life for so many reasons.
I don’t go to say goodbye, I go to say safe journey, say hello to grandma and grandpa, please be sure and give my mom and dad a hug from me and tell my son I still miss him and love him. You will be forever my favorite Uncle, the one who taught me to play poker, that it was ok to be imperfect and courage in the face of adversity.