Sadness

Unfortunately, I lost a loved one today. My great Uncle passed this morning, and my sadness runs deep.

Uncle Joe was responsible for carrying on many Italian traditions within the family (more notably, teaching me about them). He took me to the Italian market for the first time and taught me how to cook the 7 fishes feast for Christmas eve. Sadly I never got to learn how to make my great grandmothers ravioli, but his descriptions of it will make my mouth water for a lifetime.

He was a teacher, both in my life, and in many public school children's lives. He had a fond appreciation for fine art and opera. He supported my loves from day one. Every time I went to visit him, he'd go into his office, pull out a tin of 8 crayons and put me to work creating art for his fridge. After moving to the city for college, he'd still hand me the crayons and give me a hard time that the artwork was to slow in coming!

He even called the Italian family in Italy when I spent a semester abroad. I was able to meet them and still talk to them thanks to Uncle Joe.

Today's post is in memory of Uncle Joe: a well loved highly missed man. I find solace in the fact that my Pop pop is waiting to greet him in heaven.

We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.

-Charles Bukowski