Dwight Remembered

On Thursday, my step-father Mike's father Dwight passed away. I didn't know Dwight well but he was always kind and sweet to me. He always had a goofy joke to share or a silly nickname to bestow on someone. He was always wearing acowboy boots and western shirts. He always seemed to be a quintessential Norman Rockwell style grandfather. I know he was good man because his son is one onef my favorite people in the world. I really regret I never got to know him better.

Dwight's health had been in long decline from Parkinson's, but the suddenness of his death really took me aback. It struck me harder than my own grandfather's death or my great grandfather's deaths. Maybe that's because BoBo's death something i was long prepared for. I am glad that Dwight is no longer suffering but I feel really sad for Mike and his brothers. I can't fathom what it would feel like to lose your father. And my heart goes out to Bette, Dwight's wife, as well.

I won't be able to go to his funeral next week and I didn't really know what to do with my grief or how to honor Dwight, so I went to a Blessed Sacrament in the U-District and lit a candle in Dwight's honor and said a prayer for him. I'm not Catholic or even particularly religious, but Dwight was so it felt like a fitting tribute. This has reminded me how precious family and friends are and how important our time with them is.