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March 14, 2005
Saying Goodbye
I've been out of town for a few days, down in Coronado, California for a memorial service for my great aunt. She was almost 105 when she passed away and was a remarkable, feisty Southern lady. She led a long but often tragic life. I have the fondest memories of visiting her in her home down here in Coronado, with her quaint Victorian furnishings, the cute little cats that played in her back garden, and the gorgeous orange tree in the front yard. It was always a joy to come down here, even though I often felt her house was haunted by the ghosts of her husband and of her beautiful daughter Molly, who had died of Hodgkin's Disease at age 16 back in the 1940s.
I realized today that because everyone else in my family has moved to new homes, my great aunt's house was the only remaining house that was part of my childhood. Seeing it this weekend for the last time has been bittersweet. Her belongings have been divided up, her pictures have been taken off the walls, and trash bags full of unwanted things fill the patio. I think for everyone in the family, it feels as if it's the end of an era.
I also noticed another change: the house no longer feels haunted. It feels empty, as if those who had hung around all those years were only waiting for my great aunt to join them so they could all go wherever they were going - together.
I hope I live to be 104 like she did, but no matter how long I live, I hope my house is as full of of memories as hers was and I hope my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have as many fond memories of visiting my home as I did visiting hers.
Posted by Tracy on March 14, 2005 12:47 PM
