RIP Uncle Pat

This past Friday my mother's brother, a favorite uncle of mine, died. He was in his beautiful home, peacefully attended to by his wife and sister-in-law.    ...We are all devastated.
It was sometime in mid December that his checkup came up strange- and with further screening it was revealed that cancer had invaded almost his entire body. He opted to not undergo any radical treatments and instead- went home the afternoon of his diagnosis- to change the bulbs and batteries in all the flashlights, smoke detectors, and hard to reach lights.

lined up flashlights ready to go

His concern was for his wife and, lucid to the very end, he taught her which bills to pay, filed the past year's income tax and assured her that their love was all that mattered. I tried to visit him each weekend, making the 2 hour drive across the Everglades each time. I found him only slightly diminished, always impeccably dressed, and a gentleman. He was stubbornly careful to avoid any discussion of his condition, and yet curious as to how we were doing. His smile, and sweet demeanor will always stay with me.

just weeks before he's gone

I was blessed to be a beneficiary of his hosting great meals at restaurants and yet I am still baffled by his simple tastes. Now I feel inspired to create a foodie pamphlet recalling those idiosyncrasies and sharing his down home menus and secret passions.

his 1/3 daily ration of favorite donut

If we all wonder how to lead a hedonistic 21st century globe-trotting life and still keep our figures- Uncle Pat could be the example. He was always about small portions and a pattern of intake. My mother swears he could still fit into the clothes of his youth well up into his 80's!
(more about this later)

here he is blending in with the other ascetics

Today I put together a painting of a bird, plunging to the sea, on plaster and burlap that tries to portray the beauty and flight of my lovely uncle.

When I feel sad, I have to create. It is how I get the bad feelings outside of me and how I can diminish their power over my psyche. I am sad my uncle is gone, but so glad, extremely glad, to have been a part of his life for however long I was granted. He showed me the stars and supported my wings.