Gone in an Instant

First let me apologize for my lack of posts recently.  The reason is understandable. You see on Aug. 8th, I lost Uncle Twinkie in a horrible auto accident.  This on top of losing my Mother in April.  Just a mere 5 months apart and the day after what would have been my Mother's 70th birthday.  I can't bring myself to write any details on the accident except that horrible is a mild word to describe it. Instead I would like to use this small space to tell you a bit about a Sister and Brother.  My Mother and Uncle were very close. My mother as the oldest helped with the raising of the two younger siblings, which made them more like her children than her brothers. Me being the oldest of the next generation and a mere 10 years younger. Made them more like my big brothers than my uncles. We had time to prepare for my Mothers passing but I know my uncle regretted not saying the words "I love you" to her. But you see my uncle was always upbeat and happy, that was the way he tried to leave people. When he went through a check out line the cashier was left laughing and happy, no matter how bad their day had been before. He never met a stranger and never passed anyone that needed help. And the times that help was taken advantage of, his reply was "It's ok, it will be alright"  or "It doesn't matter".  He touched so many lives in small and unassuming ways. Even unknowing to many the world dimmed a bit on Aug 8.  My one consolation is that I know my Mother and Uncle are together now. And he got the chance to tell her he loved her, although she always knew it.