Uncle Dom

My Uncle passed away early this morning. My Dad was there and has been there to help.

The bulk of both my parents' families have been back East. And even more local family we saw once a year. The funny thing is, when it is like that I tend to have very vivid memories whenever I did meet them. To my knowledge I only met Dom once, but since then he's been my favorite Uncle. Some odd relations connection - that he was nice and simple and direct was what I remember. He reminded me quite a bit of my dad (even though I think my Dad would say they weren't very alike) but all the Brights remind me of each other with little tweaks here and there. Like Annie and Lucy I see as both very warm and loving and open but Annie is sillier and Lucy more connectable - in tune. Mary reminded me of the other two with a smidge of anxiety thrown in. I am very fond of a memory with my Uncle Johnny shortly before he passed away - it was right when Steve and I had started dating and everyone I talked to (whether they knew him or not) tended to be keen on trying to tone down the possibilities, the excitement or whatever. But Johnny (who had always struck me as uncomfortable talking to me before) just had a nice little conversation with me about it all and was really sweet about it.

Of course the big difference, I think, between my Dad and his family is that my Dad is in tune very deeply to the world of the heart. Not just intuitively but consciously. This is why, I think, it is such an enormous gift and help for him to be there for his siblings as they pass away or have someone they love pass away. He understands and guides and reassures all the while being stable and strong and big enough to lean on or ask to take out the garbage. He's a good guy, my Dad, and I'm sorry he's lost a brother.