It’s been over a week since I wrote to you. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t find the words. Shortly after my last post, I received word that a cousin of mine had died on Christmas Day. I didn’t know her well. But, I know that she was loving and loved and too young. I couldn’t really feel a loss of her presence IN my life. She was a little older than I and we really didn’t spend much time together. I guess I feel more of a loss of what might have been, a mourning for a cousin, a friend, that I didn’t GET to know better during our hectic and global lives. I’ll write more in the next few days about MY life and music. But, tonight, I’d like to take a moment and talk about Diane.
So,the day after Christmas, I flew back to Kansas City for the services. The funeral home was overflowing with people that she HAD known and whoes lives she’d touched. Her brothers and sisters stood tall and hugged passionately and I was overwhelmed with their loss. They are a close family and nearly all of them stayed close to home in the KC area, when they grew up. There were pictures of her everywhere, of her laughter and her love for the things and people that she was surrounded with. Her husband and companion for many years will obviously miss this spark in his life and I’m sure will find it hard to move on. The video of her life was compelling to watch, but difficult, as well and brought a lump to my throat.
What joy and saddness filled the room as friends and family who hadn’t seen each other for too long found this common ground to stand on. She was my cousin and I wish I had known her better and I hope that this loss will teach me to reach out earlier to people in my life.
It may just be a matter of time, but time slips away so quickly, so quietly, and if you have something you need to say to someone, something you need to do, or someone you need to KNOW, do it NOW. You never know how much time you actually have.
It’s ALWAYS a matter of time, really, and cherish every moment……………please