(Nov. 10, 1958—Nov 1, 2019)
It’s been five years since Michael left us for the heavenly realm on November 1, or “ALL SAINTS DAY on the Catholic Calendar.” His patron saint was St Michael the Archangel. Sadly, he was only nine days shy of his 61 birthday, about two years since our dad died, and five and half years since our mom died. He loved being an altar boy in his youth at Our Lady of Grace Church, just a block away from the five-flat our parents owned on 5th Street (between Garden and Bloomfield) in Hoboken, N.J. He also loved being in the Boy Scouts, loved his work as a construction team leader with the Shauger Group, and he loved his family, especially his boys (my nephews): Michael, Jr., Andrew, Brock and Alex, whom he was very proud of.
In loving memory of Michael, I would like to post some poetic verses by Ullie Kaye that I adapted from her poem called:
“I don’t Say Shhh to Grief.”
I don’t say shhh to grief. I let myself stay sad for as long as my heart tells me to.
I hold it in my hands and give it a soft place to fall and a safe place to stay…
I don’t say shhh to grief. I let it walk with me and talk to me. I say, let’s talk about your laugh [he had a wonderful laugh]
I don’t say shhh to grief. Instead I let myself remember. Because remembering keeps us closer; and closer is
is sweeter, and sweeter is better.
I don’t say shhh to grief. I don’t walk around it like a puddle, because although grief is messy, I want to go right through it. I need to let myself feel how it splashes in my face just like the wildest storm mixed with a warm embrace.
I don’t say shhhh to grief. I say, come spend the day with me. I say, I am still learning. I say, I love you, and the world was better with you in it.
POSTSCRIPT: The Silver Amulet Elephant resting on the shoulders of the angel (see photo) was kindly gifted to me by my nephew Michael Jr. It contains some of my brother’s ashes. Rightfully so, he thought I could take the essence of my brother on all my bike riding adventures which keeps me spiritually connected.
