My five siblings and me with Mom after the funeral. Mom wasn’t really into the black thing. And as for my Dad, you can tell you’ve lived a long life when your four sons are all pretty much bald.
Going home for my Dad’s funeral was obviously a sad experience but I was surprised that it was also a beautiful experience. It was wonderful and truly comforting to spend a week with my family: five siblings (most of whom I’m very fond of), my grieving Mom, and a BIG extended family. I introduced Mark to an old high school classmate who was also my fifth cousin, which is probably the best example of what an extended family really means. Lots of my own first cousins as well as well as a few remaining aunts and uncles, and some of my own nieces and nephews. Really not much more to add except how comforting it was to share it all with my brothers and sisters and their families.
Me & Dex, the cancer survivor, with his brother Mat looking on
And then I learned that another of my relatives, a smart and charming 12-year-old, had just recently come out. I spent some time talking with him about his experience and the response at school and could just really celebrate the progress we’ve made. It was inconceivable that a 12-year-old could have come out when I was in school – I’m sure they’d have sent him to electro-shock therapy or something like that – but now it’s pretty much OK and increasingly normal. He’s happy, comfortable, and reasonably well accepted. I told him about the “It Gets Better” website, built to help LGBT teenagers experiencing harassment, except apparently it’s already good; there’s not much needed for him at least in terms of getting better. That makes me very, very happy.
So yes, my Dad’s death and the funeral were sad. Very sad. But it was also a week to celebrate family and some other good things in life. But after a week at home it’s time to go back to Italy and resume our previously scheduled programming. Next stop, Tuscany.
My brother Al, Mark, me, and Mark’s sister Jeanne, with Duluth’s iconic Aerial Lift Bridge behind us
My cousin Janet, who sang at Dad’s funeral, with his cousin Elaine
A highlight for me and Mark was the day after the funeral when we ended up taking Mat & Dex to a carnival
Mark & Dex on a ride with little Tori, a friend of the family who has pretty much become family
A day or two after the funeral most of us went hiking on part of the Superior Hiking Trail overlooking Lake Superior and St. Louis Bay. Here I am with Al’s wife Anita.
Mark & my sister-in-law Karen on the trail
After dinner our last night in Duluth at my brother Vic’s house we went into the backyard for a fire and s’mores. Here’s Vic with Dex & Mark.