Thursday, December 19, 2019
Dearest Carol, to whom I was forever your "baby brother," I will truly miss you. I will so miss the kindness that you always exuded. After ten years of my previous marriage, I'll always remember that it was you alone who embraced Amber like no one else did when I brought my new wife to Mom and Dad's house for the first time, and we sat laughing and loving for hours, it seems now, on that cozy, black-railed front porch, or watching Shana and Jenny swing round and round the back-patio posts. You were so kind and accepting, welcoming her that day in a way that has never left either of us. Of course, the years passed with many miles between us, but we never lost the certitude that your love and support was there: your birthday cards were unfailing, your Christmas sentiments always hand-written with patient care, and, in later years, your Facebook postings that, though we sometimes chuckled at your battles using social media, always showed your desire to "be there," meaningfully, for whoever you blessed with your commentary, advice, and friendship. In all of your life's work I admired you because the things you did, you always did for other people-nursing, teaching, guiding. Even when you were one of the people who cooked and then gave out food samples in a Sam's Club or whatever, I remember how much you enjoyed doing that, doing even just that little thing to make people happy. Now, whenever I take a freebie bite of a pot sticker or a bacon-wrapped cheese thingy in Costco, I think of you, and I think that I know you were the very best sample giver there ever was. I will miss you. I will miss hearing you call me "baby brother!" And I will miss hearing you say as a phone call ended, "I love you." I love you too, Carol. Your brother, John
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