Grief and loss have been on my thoughts recently.
My uncle passed away a few weeks ago. He was in his 90s and had recently moved into a care home. He’d been in poor health for quite a while, and we’re glad he no longer has to suffer, but there is an ache in my heart at his passing.
On top of losing him, I feel as though I’ve lost my last ties to a whole era. You see, my uncle fought in World War II.
Although he never talked much about his experiences there, I do know he was wounded in Germany and sent home.
My uncle sometimes came off as gruff and ornery, but the more he teased you, the more he liked you.
He had a big heart and a great laugh. When I think of him, I think of being at his house and seeing him walk in from milking cows, cold from the frigid winter air, and sitting at the counter in the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee as he teased me about something.
As I think of all the things my uncle left behind, it gives me peace and surrounds me in grace.
For any of you who might be grieving, look for those sweet moments of grace, those moments that remind you of the legacy your loved ones left behind.
