Every weekend, my dad calls me in the 8 o’clock hour.  Saturday and/or Sunday; usually just one of the two days.  8 A.M.  However, I woke this morning on my own & texted them at about 8:15.  My first thought was to go back to sleep, of course.  But I knew I couldn’t do it.  They texted back, and so I called them instead of texting more.

We talked about a couple things – my sister’s pending baby shower, my other sister’s birthday & how they were going to make it special.  Then I wanted to talk to them about my cousin.

We just got the news yesterday that my cousin passed away.  He was diagnosed with leukemia a month ago, & just finished a round of chemo last week.  Apparently, No One Knew.  I have 2 other cousins (they are his cousins as well), who live in the same area as him (ATL, Georgia).  He didn’t tell anyone else in our family.  I’m not sure who in his family knew.

He passed, I think, about 3am Friday morning.  The only person in our extended family that knew was my uncle, who is in Africa right now.  He found someplace that has wifi, and thankfully my cousin in NJ happened to be online at the time.  He told her via IM.  She called my cousin in ATL, who called me.  Anyway, none of that matters.

I was talking to my dad this morning, and he told me that.  None of it matters.

It doesn’t matter how he died.
It doesn’t matter when he died.
It doesn’t even matter who knows, or when.

All that matters is how he LIVED.

He was so jovial. So respectful. I don’t know if this is going to make sense. But he’s one of those people that really didn’t have to tell his kids how to be. He just WAS. And that’s how they knew how to be. Like, he always showed so much respect for anyone older than him. Heck, he showed so much respect for anyone, period. He always came at each day full force. Never a complaint about anything. Always so happy to see anyone & everyone. I don’ t even know how to describe it.

Just so grateful for life, love, and family.

And that’s really all I think of when I think of him. Just his spirit.

So, I get what my dad said to me this morning. No one is going to care about your death when you’re gone. They’re only going to care about how you lived.

I’m so grateful to have known him. So happy that someone like him lived on this earth with the rest of us, and that his legacy will live on.