~ WE REMEMBER ~
There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, & of unspeakable love. We try our best to not unravel in misery, but rather, exalt in all the beauty that remains...& trust that all we have ever enjoyed deeply together, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us!!!
Donald James Townsend
October 13, 1938~July 1, 2015 (age 76)
Jill's Father
Moments before our walk that afternoon,
I realized the path ended too soon.
Not long enough to hold his hand,
this amazing person, this loving man.
Not long enough to engage his eyes
& remember him always brimming with pride.
Not long enough to stand by his side,
as he was by mine after every rough tide.
Not long enough to laugh with him still,
after every bad joke,
after every tough hill.
Not long enough to walk with this man,
who has taught me to be the person I am.
Not long enough as he walked by his wife,
to thank them both for my wonderful life.
In all the walks I’ve taken in my life,
first as a girl & now as a wife,
I’ll remember that walk I took with my father
& always wish it could have been longer & farther.
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
Eugenia Malanog Ompad
May 14, 1923~October 12, 2019 (age 96)
Richert's Grandmother
Grandma, As The Matriarch Of Our Family, You Taught Me So Many Valuable Lessons That I Will Always Carry With Me Deep Within My Heart...
- If you want something bad enough, go get it!!!
- Style is a curious conundrum, but ALWAYS make it your own...a little bit of sequins never hurt anybody!
- Always go for the BEST QUALITY you can afford!!! In the end you will be happy you spent a little extra money.
- Rising early to greet the day means you can accomplish more than you expect. When I was a child & we traveled with my Grandmother, she was ALWAYS the first one up! In a soft voice she would tell my sister Roxanne & I to "Rise & Shine". As we were just getting up, she was already showered, fully dressed, completely made up...coiffed, lips, lashes, shadow, & blush...ready for breakfast...at 5:00am!!!
- If someone asks for your help try your absolute best to say YES!!! She ALWAYS said YES to me!!!
- Buttered Cinnamon Toast served with Hot Cocoa is one of life's Greatest & Simplest Pleasures. She served this combination to me & my sister often as children, but it was equally comforting to me when she made it for me as a grown adult!!!
- "For Crying Out Loud", "Holy Mackerel", & "For Heaven's Sake" are completely appropriate exclamations to utter instead of SWEARING. Swearing is for amateurs & people lacking creativity & imagination!!!
- The Art of Crochet is a discipline best described as keeping track of your chains & knots through accurate counting & a delicate balance of tension between your hands & the hook of the crochet needle. She tried to school me once, but I gave up after only 10 minutes. Eugenia was a PROLIFIC crochet craftswoman!!!
- Shiny, Blingy, Sparkly things can make you happy...She invested in the most DIVINE jewelry!!! She would be first in line to buy one of these enamel pins knowing that I had an influence in manufacturing this novelty jewelry! She also had a keen eye for chic & eye popping color combinations..."Never be afraid of color", she would exclaim! She occasionally wore a huge Tahitian Pearl cocktail ring while lounging around in her evening nightgown!!!
- Be GENEROUS with your time, talent, & treasure with others. Family & Friends will remember you by your willingness to be a part of the success in THEIR lives!
- Fierce Independence is a trait & quality achieved over time, but once you've gleaned it, no one can take it away from you!!!
- True Happiness resides only within YOU! Seeking it in any other place or in any other person is an exercise in futility!!!