Losses and the gratitude of love

This morning my former brother-in-law, Giuseppe (Joe), passed away. He had been married to my sister for many years. They eventually divorced, but Ike and I and our kids stayed in touch with Joe and still considered him part of the family. A proud Italian man, Joe had many old-world views and for my sister he was not always the easiest person to deal with. Yet there was in him a deep sense of integrity and loyalty. He always said he was "blown away" that we continued to regard him as a family member. He always returned a favour, and part of his Italian "old-world" approach was his impeccable manners.

Joe taught me some of his best Italian recipes (he was an accomplished chef), most notably his unique lasagna, which is always a big hit whenever I serve it for dinner. He also coached me in Italian pronunciation during the days I sang classical music, albeit with a northern Italian accent since he hailed from Milan. He and I also shared a passion for Frank Sinatra's performances. At one of Joe's birthdays I gave him a multi-album set of "Frankie" which he played incessantly and drove my sister to distraction. Joe taught both my children to ski and amusingly to swear in Italian. My son Adam got in trouble in grade seven for calling his teacher a "chooch" and to "va fungool", not realizing that the teacher, Mr. Pizzuti, was Italian and knew the slang.

What does this have to do with the "Living As If" course? Well, for me, learning today of Joe's passing reminded me that it's so important to tell those whom we love how we feel before it's too late, and to do so is a high vibrational act because words convey energy. I did tell Joe on several occasions that I loved him like a brother, but I don't think I said it often enough, especially toward the end of his life. I knew he was ailing...battling pulmonary fibrosis--but somehow I felt he would always be around. Last Christmas when we talked at our regular Christmas call, we joked on the phone and talked about current events. I could hear that his breathing was laboured, yet his spirits were good, so I just thought he would be around for another Christmas.

I also know that Joe is not gone, but has simply gone to a different vibration, and I believe he can hear me as I "talk" to him. Joe's son, my nephew Antony, has flown to BC to arrange the cremation and then will bring the ashes back to Ontario where Joe's ashes will be buried beside his older son, Rick, who pre-deceased him, and next to his mother and father in Toronto. Antony has asked Ike to do the memorial service sometime in September, and so I take comfort in being able to be part of laying my precious brother by marriage in his final resting place. I think this is Spirit's way of reminding us that no one we love is ever truly lost.

This all relates to an aspect of the course I'm working on now--that of speaking empowering words. And so I say to Joe: Arrivederci, Giuseppe, e tuo core di grazia. Sempre te amo."

Blessings,
Sharon