Hi friend. Saint here. The past couple weeks have been difficult. I’m still trying to figure out what everything means, but my Mummy is sad. A few weeks ago she got a phone call from her sister. This was very strange. Aunt Sha never calls Mummy on a school day.
When the phone rang, I immediately knew something was wrong. Mummy’s smell changed and I knew Aunt Sha had said something upsetting. I paced and tried to get in her lap to comfort her, but she was distracted. This was not normal.
I didn’t like this. Something was wrong with Mummy and I couldn’t fix it. When she finally hung up the phone she looked at me and said that Uncle G had died suddenly.
I didn’t know what this meant, but I didn’t like it. It made Mummy’s eyes water. I hate it when that happens. She is usually happy and very brave, but today was different. I didn’t know what to do. I decided to go put my head in her lap to show her I love her and to help her feel better. I think it worked. She petted my head for a few quiet moments, then she went back to work.
We had classes that day, and Mummy told her students that we had to go on an unexpected trip soon. She told them that she needed to attend a memorial and help Aunt Sha. Mummy was quiet all day. It made me anxious. I wanted her to feel better.
After a couple weeks, we went on a long trip to Connecticut to see Aunt Sha. She has a big house! But this time it smelled funny. Uncle G wasn’t there and Aunt Sha also smelled sad. What was going on?? I didn’t understand at all.
During this trip, we went to a place I’d never been before. Mummy called it a funeral home. It was a strange place. Everyone there was sad too. I wanted to go help everyone, but I stayed with Mummy. She needed me more.
Uncle G was there too, but in a very different way. I could smell him, but not really see his body. His things were there too. There were photos of him, books, golf things and poker chips. Uncle G loved to play poker. When Mummy let me smell his ashes, I suddenly knew that his body didn’t work anymore and I finally understood why Mummy was so sad.
I knew somehow that we would never see Uncle G again. This made me very sad and I didn’t like it. Mummy said we would always see him in our hearts.
While we were there, friends and family told stories about Uncle G. Aunt Sha and some others talked about some very special times with him and everyone celebrated his life and having been a part of it. It was nice to hear those things and talk about him. I think it made Mummy feel a little better.
The next day we packed up and drove home. It was a hard weekend. Mummy worried about Aunt Sha. She talked to me on the way home and said that she would be very lonesome without Uncle G. I could understand that. I would miss my Mummy if her body stopped working.
We’ve been home for a few days and our routine has seemed to go back to normal. Yet, it’s different. I think we are still adjusting to the space that Uncle G left behind. It feels empty. This must be our new normal. It’s going to be hard to get used to. I hope Aunt Sha knows Mummy and I think of her a lot and that we are sending her hugs.
“This blog is dedicated to Mummy’s and my family: blood relatives, friends and all of Mummy’s students, past and present. We love you all unconditionally and always will. Nothing will ever break those bonds.”
