A year ago yesterday, we lost our son-in-law Andrés.
Yesterday, our daughter organized a celebration in our other daughter’s house and garden.
A shrine was set up with flowers, and photos and photos and photos, and garlands of Mexican cut-paper. And strings and strings of origami.
Dozens and dozens and dozens of friends, family, children, babies, showed up. Thank you all for coming. The garden was full. Even the sun pushed the clouds away.
There was laughter and tears, music and beer, and Tequila and Mezcal, delicious tacos cooked on the spot, and more beer, and speeches, and laughter and tears and hugs.
I am pleased to report that laughter and smiles beat tears by a long shot.
🙂
Washington, D.C. 2015, after Gini’s graduation from GWU. (The hat is mine)
Our daughter put together a site dedicated to the many memories Andrés left us. I invite you to click on the link below and visit. Nothing sad. Just a celebration of a wonderful human being, Love and Life.
Equinoxio 
So sad that such a young person should die so early. Good that you celebrated his life in such a beautiful manner.
Dankie Dina. Yes, it was a good thing. It is sometimes a sorrow more than death, but that is the only way to live with it. And our daughter organized it that way. He’d ‘ve liked the beer. A fine craft beer. 🙂
I feel for you.
Thank you my dear. It has been a difficult year. But we will make it through. 🙂
I feel so sorry for your daughter.
Thank you. It is devastating. But she is strong. It is the reason she went to Asia last year. And why we joined her in December/January. 🙂
A lovely tribute.
Thank you Janet. In the face of death I have always found that the most important thing is to care for the living. 🙂 And strive to keep the good memories up and the sadness down. Then, one day comes the time when only the smiles come. 🙂
What a wonderful tribute. May the sun keep shining on you and yours. May the wind lift your sorrows and take them far away, leaving you with grand memories of the one now not with you. Hugs
Thank you Scottie. That is exactly the idea. Let the wind blow the sorrow away. Hugs back.
This is so very touching. Andres spirit will live on for all of your family!
Thank you.
Una pena que se haya ido tan joven… Lo siento mucho.. Abrazos de luz
Muchas gracias. La luz siempre es bienvenida. 🙂
Beautiful ✨… love and hugs to your and your beautiful family Brian.
Thank you. 🙂
It’s been a year already… How time flies! It’s always hard to part with the loved ones, more so in such unexpected circumstances. I hope Gini is better now.
Very nicely organized, very mexican I’d say. Honor the dead, care for the living – best thing to do.
Those cut-paper decorations would rather be named kirigami (kiri=to cut), since origami strictly uses folding, not cutting. 😉
May Andrés rest in peace and never be forgotten.
May you all, the rest of the family, live long and prosper. \|/ (<= an emoticon attempt at the Vulcan salute)
Thank you Dragos. The origami was bona fide folded origami. To the right of the photo, in the garden, together with the pink elephant in a tutu. 🙂
Ah, that explains it. 😀 Well then, origami for Andrés it is.
You know, that’d be a good title for a (short) novel that Gini might wanna write. 😉
Actually he was a writer too. He has dozens, maybe hundreds of texts. A book seems to be in preparation.
That’s great news. Hope Gini will continue writing too, I like her style. 😉
Thank you.
A lovely example of a better way to deal with death and grief. Bittersweet yet will come to be simply sweet.
Thank you. Yes it will. Some day. Take care.
This is a well written heartfelt post that many can benefit from your words. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
kam siah peng yu. 🙂
Thank you for accompanying us in thought.
Have a lovely week-end.
A beautiful tribute. Brian. I can’t even imagine how heartbreaking this is.
Merci Julie. “Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?” And yet, yet, it puts things, all things in (more?) perspective… That or just going back to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. “Tomorrow and tomorrow…”. And the senselessness of it all.
Thank you for your words.
what an absolutely beautiful tribute Brian, so lovely, I’ll pop in and check out the site now 🙂
I clicked on the link but there was nothing there….sigh, shall try again.
Thank you for trying. Don’t know what happened. The link seems to be working fine, 🙂
I will check again tomorrow from the computer this time instead of my aged ipad😊🙏🏻
Plenty of time. 🙂
Have a lovely week. How’s work going? Still happy there? (But then you seem to have such a positive streak…)
❤
Slowing down, four days a week but much slower…which makes the time drag…I still like it, more of the dynamics showing face which kind of tarnishes the luster of it of course, but people are people and I just continue to look for the good and special moments and customers I get to interact with….makes it even more special, you know? Going back up to NY end of July,beginning August, looking forward to “old home days”💜
You always look for the positive side. 🙂
(I need to do more of that)
Glad you’re planning to go back up. I’m sure it will be very pleasant.
❤
What a wonderful tribute. ❤ ❤ ❤
Thank you Dina. He was a wonderful young man. Full of talent, joy and life…
yes a wonderful tribute to remember…in my own grief and mourning…I understand now a bit more Brian…as I’ve told some friends…I’m surfacing and I acknowledge that I didn’t know about your son-in-law…but I knew you’ve been grieving…and I have no words…jusy heartfelt feelings for you dear Brian…sending peace and love and BIG hugs for you and your loved ones… ❤️💫om
Thank you Hedy. Those are precisely the moments when feelings supersede words. My main concern obviously is my daughter. But she is a fighter. And we will all get through this together. (With a little help from our friends…) ❤
That’s a very lovely way to remember someone, Brian. It seems extraordinary that it is more than a year ago. Warm wishes to you and the family.
Thank you Paul. Yes, that was a… “dreaded” anniversary, but local culture and courage from all do help. It was a beautiful celebration. Reminiscent in some way of the Americans’ “wake”. I don’t know whether you have that in the UK?
First anniversary is the toughest. My heart goes out to you all ❤
Thank you kindly. Yes it tough. But our daughter and their friends and family managed to turn it into a celebration. That was very beautiful. ❤
Your daughter is a beautiful strong woman.
Yes, she is. We help as much as we can. I even took the whole family to Asia to reunite with her… It still is a sadness beyond words. 🙂
My condolences, Brian. There is always joy in remembering someone who was loved.
Thank you Kate. Yes, there is. But the immense void remains. That is what takes a long time to fill, or at least to… cover up. Take care my dear.
And you, too, Brian.
🙂