My Aunt Ruth...

My aunt is dying of cancer. Barring a miracle, I should get word of her entering the presence of her Lord sometime tonight or tomorrow. Truth be told, I’m having a hard time with it. I wrote on Sunday that there are moments when I feel very far away. This is one of those moments. I want to be with family who understand who she is and what we’re losing.

I know that most everyone has had a family member die. I know it’s easy to say, “Oh that’s really sad.” and then go on with whatever we were just doing. I get that...I’ve been guilty of it myself. When you don’t know the person, obviously their death has a lesser impact on you.

But this is my aunt, and I love her a lot. So, of course this means a lot to me. Her name is Ruth by the way. She’s my mom’s baby sister, and she and my mom are close. They live hundreds of miles apart (one in Saskatchewan and the other in Virginia) but they talk (and laugh!) just about every day. As a kid I grew up on stories of their antics as missionary kids living in India. Someday I’ll probably write some of those stories down here. Anything I’ve EVER done in my life? Pales in comparison to those two. My favourite? Probably the story of when they took off and traveled halfway across India by train (in the men’s compartment) because they didn’t like their boarding school. Mom was probably fifteen at the time and Aunt Ruth was around thirteen I think. Fortunately my mom taught Aunt Ruth some “karate moves” just in case they needed them.

So you see what I’m talking about.

After India, she and my mom ended up at a little country Bible school in western Canada, where Aunt Ruth promptly dated and married an ex-gang banger from New York who was also studying there. I imagine that raised a few eyebrows. The sweet little missionary girl and the big, bad New Yorker.  Oh, did I mention he was eight years older than her? Even now that makes me laugh. Uncle Vince is a cool guy, but even though I’ve lived in South America and I’ve hung out in some pretty dicey places, I don’t think I’ve ever been as scared as I was the night my cousins Jackie and Vinnie and I snuck out of the house to go to Jack’s after grad party. We had to sneak across the lawn under Uncle Vince’s window and it still makes my hands sweat to think about it. =) Aunt Ruth? He didn’t even slow her down. I should probably mention that Uncle Vince has been an amazing pastor these past four decades, with Aunt Ruth at his side (keeping him in line I’m sure).

She’s also raised three great kids and has been a pretty cool Grandma to a bunch of grandkids.

I spent the morning reading comments that people have been posting on her Facebook page. If you know me at all, you know I’m not a very emotionally demonstrative person. I can probably give you the date and time of the last three times I’ve openly cried. Don’t get me wrong, I get that little twitchy feeling in my nose once in awhile, but that’s about it.

I sat there this morning, tears running down my face, as I read what Aunt Ruth means to the people she knows. She truly is a remarkable person.

My Grandma, my mom and my aunt and uncle and their families have all traveled to Virginia to be with her. They’re there now. I remember when my grandpa died, the comfort that came from being surrounded by family. Ours is a close family and it makes me happy that so many of them are together with Aunt Ruth even tonight. It’s funny, my cousin wrote that Aunt Ruth is the one trying to comfort everyone else. And she’s still making jokes. The cancer ate away her stomach and she said that since she can’t drink coffee anymore, it’s time to go. Yep...that’s my Aunt Ruth...

I just read something tonight, “On the far side of sorrow comes joy.” My FB status today was, “We are not a people without hope.” And that’s the truth. Aunt Ruth is a strong Christian woman. I have no doubt that within hours she will stand before the God she has faithfully served her entire life. We will miss her and absolutely we will...are feeling...the sorrow of losing her. But as our family mourns her, it is not without a joy in our hearts for who she is and the life she’s lived.

And the future she has.

Aunt Ruth, we love you and we will miss you. Make sure you give Grandpa a big hug from all of us, and we’ll see you soon.