A Tribute

My great-grandmother passed away about a month before my 10th birthday. She had suffered from two strokes, the second one left her unable to speak and, as far as my family knew, unable to recognize any of us. But I think that was able to recognize me, at least for a moment. I stood by her hospital bed and she looked me right in the eyes. She reached out to me and touched my hand. I remember being a little spooked. I think it was because of the look in her eyes. They were so sad, like maybe she knew that she was going but she didn't want to go just yet. A few days later, she was gone.

Fast forward twenty years later. Yesterday, my mom told me that an old family friend, Mrs. B., was really sick and I told her that I would stop by. Mrs. B. had been sick with cancer for 5 years now, so her being sick wasn't a surprise. But how bad she had gotten was a surprise. I walked in totally unprepared. I did not realize that she was so close to death. She so tired and weak, could barely talk. She was able to recognize me though, she called me by name. But she stared at me, in almost the same way as my great-grandmother. I was taken aback, because I knew in that moment that Mrs. B. did not have much longer to live. I fought to hold back my tears, but not hard enough. I had to leave and cry it all out. I came back a little later with my mother, but she was sleeping and we wanted her to get some much needed rest. But, unfortunately, she didn't wake up. Mrs. B. left us at 2:30pm, Sunday afternoon.

This woman was more than just a friend to my family, she and her family truly was an extension to my family. I have so many wonderful childhood memories of her. She was like the den mother of the neighborhood. She was always looking out for us. You don't neighbors like that too much anymore. People tend to move much more often these days.

Mrs. B will definitely be missed by anyone that was fortunate to have known. I miss her already.

Thoughts about life and death

The hubby and I went to see the newest Indiana Jones movie. I won't get into too much details, I'm never good with giving a review without spilling a few spoilers. I'll say that although I thought it was an OK movie, it WAS NOT the Indiana Jones movie that I was waiting to see, which is apparently the prevailing thoughts among the critics. I didn't feel that it outdid the Last Crusade. The Last Crusade was a fine ending chapter to the series.

The previews usually piss me off. Because if it is something that catches my interest, it usually doesn't come out 6 months to a year later. I usually have forgotten about the flick by then. But there is always at least one that it pretty memorable.

I couldn't stop thinking the preview for the movie "The Curious Curse of Benjamin Button". Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it tells the story of a child who is born as an old man. As his life goes on, he gets younger and younger. At first, I'm thinking who wouldn't want to age in reverse. The best years of your life could be enjoyed at the end of your life instead of your worst. You could look forward to your golden years. But if the movie is going to be anything like the short story, aging in reverse could be just as bad as aging forward. Maybe even worst. In either situation, it probably most important to not let time pass you by. Far too many of us waste too much of our lives in waiting. And then we waste more time with regret.