�Our fear of death is like our fear that summer will be short, but when we have had our swing of pleasure, our fill of fruit, and our swelter of heat, we say we have had our day.� � Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last night, I was informed that my father�s Aunt Anne passed away. Just as I was mulling over how to get a hold of him in Korea (the one time I tried to call there, about 3 years ago, is comical in retrospect), he called me at home. He�d received an email from family, and not only did he know what had happened, but he�d already spoken with Anne�s widower, Uncle Bill. We knew that she was ill. In trying to revive her recently, two of her ribs were broken. She was in pain, and she was ready to go. Plus, my father has been able to visit them many times in the last several months, for which he is grateful.

�The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.� � Harriet Beecher Stowe. I am happy, for my father�s sake, that he has not shed bitter tears over this. He is of the belief that it is silly to wait and withhold, when you can act now and share. His biggest upset about the loss of his aunt is that her sister, another aunt of his, may never have mended �bad blood� with our lost loved one. But that is not his issue to live with, however, he is aware and feels for the last of this line of sisters, which included his mother.

I�ve really been enjoying myself this week. The last few evenings I�ve spent alone, doing chores, relaxing and reading, thinking and being. How refreshing that is! Tonight, I may go have dinner at my sister�s house, and tomorrow, I may be joining friends for a movie. Friday is a birthday party at a hip bar, and Saturday, sweet Saturday, God only knows what I�ll get myself into. But I will be well-rested, that�s for sure.

In my car, right now, as I type this, are three FULL and USED UP rolls of film. I have no idea what�s on them. Various gatherings, parties, events, these babies have been around. And today, I will get them developed, and rediscover memories. It�s like hiding a treasure and forgetting you buried it, only to stumble on it years later and be pleasantly surprised!

Perhaps I�ll go drop them off right now. I WILL have these by the end of the day. And they WILL make me smile. And God, how I love to smile.

-Barbarella

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