My cousin lately lost his wife soon after she battled a debilitating and deadly lung illness for thirteen years. They had been married practically 49 years. I just happened to be the flower girl in their wedding. Even though I was quite young, my recollection of that special day is vivid in my earliest memories. Our grandmother created my flower girl dress to match the bridal gown. I recall pretending to be the bride, as all small girls do, given that I had the excellent dress.
Needless to say, regardless of our age differences, my cousin and I are especially close. Our lives have intertwined on a typical basis. I grew up visiting with him commonly. He entrusted me with babysitting for his kids. His youngest daughter was my flower girl in my own wedding. My sons were ring-bearers in his children's weddings.
My cousin was a wonderful support to me through important events in my life. He was the initial familiar face I saw in the crowd when performing at dance recitals and half-time football games. He created his way to the football field to give me a hug when I was crowned Homecoming Queen. He was the initial to go to me in the hospital when I gave birth to each and every of my young children. He patiently explained illnesses and growing phases my children had been experiencing, as nicely as giving me suggestions in the course of the painful, but needed break-up of my first marriage. My cousin was the initial to offer you support and empathy when my father, his uncle, was stricken with and succumbed to cancer inside a short two-month time period. His comforting words and actions have had an impact on my life even nowadays.
It is because of these points that I want to honor my dear cousin this particular Memorial Day. I bear in mind accompanying my cousins and their mother to the cemetery where my grandparents and uncle are buried and placing flowers on the gravesites, so I regarded as giving my cousin an arrangement of freshly cut flowers in a reusable vase. Yet, I decided the floral arrangement, although fabulous, would not be meaningful sufficient. And, with his wife no longer here to replace and replenish flowers for the vase, it would obtain a house in a box in the basement, forgotten and unused.
I also regarded as giving him a journal so he could record his deepest, private feelings. I've heard that by putting your thoughts on paper, it helps with the grieving procedure. He could also use this journal to write about his every day activities involving other family members and friends, to help him realize we're involved in his life and care about him as he has cared about all of us in the past. Although I, myself, would appreciate such a gift, I understand my cousin probably isn't quite ready to put his feelings on paper. It would still be too emotionally painful for him to do so.
Right after looking a though longer, I finally found the proper and memorable Memorial Day gift to give to him...an Italian charm keychain. My cousin and his wife enjoyed a lifetime of happiness every and every summer at their favorite lake house, so I chose meaningful Italian charms representing the wildlife from that location which his beloved wife adored. I filled his Italian charm keychain with charms consisting of a frog, a hummingbird, a deer, a butterfly on a wildflower, a turtle, and a Jesus fish. He can be reminded of their happy, healthy times each time he uses his keys.
I am very pleased with my choice to give my dear cousin a meaningful gift this specific Memorial Day. It is just a modest way to remind him how quite unique he is to me and to let him know he's in my thoughts, now and usually.
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