FOR MY AUNT

I'm apologizing in advance if this post is a downer. If you are looking to be cheered up this isn't the post for you so turn back.

OK, it's Tuesday which means the rapture and zombies didn't happen this weekend. (I know you are as shocked as I am. try not to be too disappointed because the brain child behind the May 21 date has moved it back to October 21. Fear not, there is still time to get your zombie on!) But, even though there wasn't a mass exodus of Christians all over the world one angel was called back up to heaven. My Aunt. 

technically she was "called back" Sunday morning not Saturday, May 21, but I'm saying she was raptured... She would have gotten a kick out of going out like that. Plus if anyone deserved to be raptured it was her.

I decided to write down a few things about my aunt that I loved and will miss. I was so blessed to have her in my life. She deserves to be celebrated.

1. My Aunt had down syndrome. I know a lot of families get concerned about having a child with down  syndrome but I would consider it a blessing. I don't think I ever met someone with a purer heart and soul then my Aunt.  

2. Unconditional Love. That is what she gave every person who came in contact with her. If you gave her a Pepsi she would love you forever. A 50 cent Pepsi is all it would take.

3. Miss America - My Aunt was a super star... Before doing just about anything she would strike a pose. One hand on her hip and one on her head, she would then blow you a kiss, and give a perfect pageant wave. My Grandpop, her Dad, would sing the Miss America theme song while she did this. It was pretty fantastic.

4. Social Butterfly - My Aunt lived in a group home. Part of what the home did was have a work program. My Aunt's work was stuffing envelopes. They would pay them maybe 10 cents for every envelope stuffed. My Mom once told me that my Aunt's "paycheck" would be about $1 to $1.50 per week. That means she stuffed a total of 10 maybe 15 envelopes per week. She was much too busy laughing, flirting and loving life to be bothered stuffing envelopes. Plus, who wants to sit and stuff envelopes everyday? No one that's who.  

5. Birthdays - My birthday will never be the same. We were born a few days apart (different years of course) so we would always celebrate our family birthdays together. I always liked having backup in case I couldn't get all the candles out. No one could blow out a candle like my Aunt.

6. Thick Skin - Going to public places at an early age with my Aunt gave me a thick skin. People would stare, point, and make awful comments in public. Luckily my Aunt never understood and wasn't fazed. But it can be hard as a family member to see. Having an Aunt who was different made me a stronger person. I learned to ignore other people and their ignorant comments. She showed me how to hold my head up high and smile no matter what was going on around me.

7. Growing old through the eyes of a child. I always loved watching a Disney movie or doing really anything with my aunt. She always saw the world with such wonder. I wish I could get that innocence back.

In the end she was sick and not doing well at all. She didn't recognize anyone and had osteoporosis so bad she couldn't even stand up. I will miss her but it would be selfish to want her to still be alive. I will always remember her with love. She taught me to be a better person.

Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality. ~ Emily Dickinson