kartooner.com

For many, the 4th of July is a time to celebrate the history of American independence. It truly marks the official start of summer; the aroma of freshly cooked barbeque, the roar of crowds at sporting events, the looming boom of fireworks exploding in the distance and more importantly a time for families to gather together and wax nostalgic.

For my family and I, the 4th of July brings forth a series of memories of my Uncle Steve, who died four years ago of schleroderma.

For me personally, I was fortunate to speak with my Uncle before his death and in that short gap of time he shared with me several things that I’ll always remember and keep close to my heart. It’s important that even in the closing moments of our lives that we, as human beings, should remember to leave behind a legacy of words for our loved ones to reflect on and remember us by.

My Uncle was a hard-working man with a lot of strength, both physically and metaphysically. He wasn’t perfect, but in my eyes and in the eyes of my family he couldn’t be any more perfect than he already was. When that call came, the day he passed on, after struggling months on end with the disease that ended his life, I remember thinking to myself that in that moment when my family collectively sighed relief for his pain and our anguish, that a man who I had come to know as my Uncle had passed on and no longer would I be able to pick up the phone and just shoot the breeze.

There’s no better time than now to look around you and notice your surroundings, however near or far. Understand that life is precious and in a flash of memories the present is already the past.