Day 271: My Two Aunts

Photo of my two aunts by my cousin Bill Fish

Today is Sunday. It is 11:00pm. There is snow on the ground here in Chaumont, NY, and that is OK. Thanksgfiving is behind us and Christmas is on it's way. I for one have had a blessed life over all. There have been some trying moments that still infuse me with guilt should I give the past too much reflection. Those are moments I am not proud of of so am reluctant to share with the world at large. They are also events that when I do reflect upon them cause me to wonder how God can bless such a sinner as I. Occassionally I become reminded of other things that I have somehow overlooked. Case in point: I am perusing faceBook and see that one of my cousins posted a photograph of my father's two sisters taken during this past Thanksgiving Day. It was taken by my cousin, Bill Fish. His mother is on the left. She happens to be fighting breast cancer at this point in time. These two women are my father's sisters. All that are left from his family. I love this photo. They are two sweet women, my father's siblings whom I know, but not as intimately as I should. As I looked at this photo it dawned upon me that I do not think I have ever told them directly the I love them. But I do. I just have never come out and said it. I must rectify that at some point in the near future.
I am somewhat sentimental and melencholy at the moment. I think there are several reasin for my immediate state of mind. eight or nine days ago a 20 year old woman in Liverpool NY was reported missing. She was home from school for the Thanksgiving holiday. She vanished. Yesterday her body was discovered and her 21 year old ex-boyfriend charged with her murder. Today I heard of a report from Syracuse were a 1 and 1/2 year old boy was shot and killed. Syracuse has lately seen many shooting incidents. I work in Syracuse a few days a week as a newspaper photographer. I know the city well. So, here we are at the start of the holiday season and these poor families are experiencing tragedies. I think back about my father's suicide 20 years ago, my Aunt's current situation with cancer, the events in the news and ... well, what more can I say? I just must let my aunts and all of my family and friends know that I love them.