Happy Birthday Auntie Lo

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A love letter to my Aunt.

I usually talk about the people around you - the ways I learned from their creative compassion, persevering endurance and stubborn self-sacrifice. 


But I sometimes forget to mention how much I’ve learned from you!


The loneliest ones found a home in your arms, on your lap, in your smiling eyes and gentle touch. The foster girls, the ones that felt different than others, the sad ones. You were a safe and faithful friend.


Busy hands can help keep a person’s spirits up - peeling potatoes, snapping beans, knitting, writing, puzzles, and the list goes on. 


You gave so many people the gift of belonging, by remembering people with a smile of recognition, as well as often knowing their birthdate and their name. You built connections from the least to the greatest. 


You belong too. Everywhere. You belong at church. You belong at picnics. You belong on trips. You belong in the family pictures. You belong in the joke. You belong in the conversation. Even when it doesn’t look the same as some families.


Every day can be a bit brighter with some humour, even when we aren’t exactly sure what we are all laughing about. Your joy in explaining a story with actions and words and sounds brought joy to us too, and we all remembered to laugh. 


A lot can be said in a hug, even when it is a bit too tight for the little nieces and nephews and your mom has to say, “Easy, Lo” and you loosen your grip with a tender smile.  


Sometimes we all have valleys to walk through, and sometimes you expressed yourself with rough words and actions and we didn’t know how to help you. I hope you know we still cared, and tried to support you in ways that helped to ease your struggles. I think I would have really struggled with the challenges you have had to go through as well. 


I’m so glad I learned these things from you through the years. Sometimes I think of the choices I’ve made in my life and realize that some of them were easier because of these lessons I learned from you. Thanks. 


Thanks for also letting me think I was your favourite and the unconditional love and joy you gave to me. The way you lived your life is a great reminder of priorities and what really matters in this life, like love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness and faithfulness, and I am grateful to you for that.


Happy Birthday, Auntie Lo.

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