Re: Another birthday, another funeral

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My name is Anne and my birthday is September 11th. It used to be really cool

because I was a paramedic and my birthday is 911.

But in 1996 it wasn't such a lovely birthday because my best friend was buried

on my birthday, and I actually got the call from the Orange County Sheriff's

Department in Orlando, Florida before his parents because I had just moved and

sent out post cards with my new address and telephone number on them so that is

the only number they could find. So I had to track down his parents to tell

them to call the Sheriff's Department, all of this started after 10p on

September 7th. He was exactly 26 years 10 months old to the day, the day he

died.

And then in 2001 my birthday became infamous because of the planes flying into

the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and all the people that died.

So you have my sympathy about going to a funeral on your birthday, I have done

it too and it is hard. But you have to look at it as a Celebration of that

person's life and not just a sad occasion. And think about it, would that

person want you to miss out on celebrating your birthday? Probably not. I am

sure they didn't die on my birthday on purpose, that is just when God called

them home.

When my maternal Gramma was dying, she was 96 and a 1/4 years old. My

brother's birthday is April 15th, that year Easter was on April 16th, so Gramma

not wanting to wreck my brother's birthday or Easter for her family, waited

until 0800 (8 am) Monday April 17th to finally go home to God. My brother was

actually there when it happened. He said that he could feel Grampa tap him on

the shoulder (my Grampa died in 1963 which was 6 years before I was even born

and my brother is 9 years younger than me). But so Jame (my brother) felt

Grampa come to get Gramma to bring her home to Heaven that morning. And

seriously I think that is what my Gramma was waiting for. Had they both lived,

the following August 2006 they would have been married for 80 years. I wear my

Gramma's wedding rings on my necklace so I have her with me always, I also have

my Mom's wedding ring (she is still alive, but my parents are separated).

I don't know if any of this makes you feel better or worse. But I do

understand. Holidays in my family aren't always the best because that is when

my family usually dies. On my Dad's side of the family alone: My Aunt

Ellen died the day before Thanksgiving 1988, my paternal Gramma died on

Christmas Eve Day 1995 (40 years to the hour after her Mom died on the same

day), My baby cousin Danny died the Wednesday before Christmas 1977 and was

buried on Christmas Eve. He would have been 4 months older than my brother.

For my birthday we usually just get together as a family. my parents, my brother

and his wife and their daughter (9 months old now), and my husband and daughter

(8 1/2 years old) and I and go out to dinner somewhere. Sometimes other people

tag along too. Or we get together at someone's house. That is what we did on

September 11, 2001 because every one was glued to their TVs that day.

I hope you have a Happy Birthday today, even with sadness in your heart.

But remember the person didn't really chose your birthday to be the day of their

death.

Love Always,

Anne

> wrote:

> So I know I'm not the only one who has happy and sad paired together. For

those who do, here's a question: What have you done to celebrate in time of

sorrow?

[Guest guest]

I think of death as a reminder to celebrate life. That no matter what happens

the world goes on. For every death some form of new life comes forth.

Hope your birthday is a celebration of even the smallest joys.

Hugs. Tami

> wrote:

> So I know I'm not the only one who has happy and sad paired together.

[Guest guest]

I second that!   Happy birthday!

Vivien

> Tami wrote:

> I think of death as a reminder to celebrate life.  That no matter what happens

the world goes on.  For every death some form of new life comes forth.

> Hope your birthday is a celebration of even the smallest joys.