My husband Joe died of a heart attack on June 2nd. It took us by complete surprise and we are currently experiencing what seems like the aftermath of a storm that leaves behind the survivors to carry on.
My Odd Family was born out of a love to write, a love of family, and a love of the humor everyday life brings. While Joe did not always share my humor, he did enjoy this blog. Maybe because the ODD focus was on MY odd family, but I suspect he knew I would eventually be unable to resist crossing over the line to his family. After all, the rich material his family could bring to Odd would be such a shame to waste. For an example check out Uncle Muscle
Although Joe was one of my biggest fans when it came to writing, I have found it difficult to put any energy into this blog. It’s not that I don’t still see the humor in everyday life; it’s just been harder to share the irreverence and humor that comes so naturally my way.
Cole and I recently saw a wonderful empathic who assured us that Joe did not, in fact, race for the light and was very much still present in our lives. She encouraged us to ask Joe to communicate with us through “signs.” In life, Joe was never subtle, so I was pretty sure any sign that came our way would be hard to miss, and if we did miss it, I was certain Joe would try again. He was never easy to ignore. However, when I received a sign to get with it and write on a Friday night, I was a bit surprised. Anyone who knows Joe, knows that Friday night is for laughing and shaking a martini – not for sending signs. It was Odd.
My favorite moleskin notebook and pen had been missing for awhile. Some of you might be surprised that I would actually consider real paper and pen over the computer, but I always write ideas down in a notebook. I love notebooks of all kinds, but the moleskin is a favorite of mine. This past Friday, I halfheartedly looked for the notebook with the idea of writing something, but was really more interested in drowning my sorrows with popsicles. Imagine my surprise that evening when, high on cherry popsicle juice, I wandered over to the “other side of my bed” and on the nightstand was my moleskin notebook, pen, a locket Joe had given me and his picture tucked inside the notebook. The pen marked a page where I had written down some funny signs I had seen and had wanted to write about.
I looked upward and said, “On a Friday night Joe? I miss you too, honey.” I opened another cherry popsicle and put pen to paper.
Odd is back, and loves company.
I like this.
On June 2 Joe came by to pick up our campers. I had written him a note because I had to dash to Ben’s school to drop him off and I thought he might show up in the five minutes I was out (why Ben wouldn’t walk to school is a good question to ask, but old habits die hard). When I got back Joe was waiting in the driveway and the last I saw him he was cheerfully greeting “the boys” for their week at camp. When I returned from out of town on June 5 I received the sad news from you. I didn’t have the heart to take down the note from where I’d taped it, and there it sat for over two months. Yesterday when I got back from out of town I found your cheery note to Ben on my kitchen counter. Now both the “Joe” and “Katybeth” notes are taped together and will be in my scrap book so I never forget such wonderful, good, kind, and loving people.
Thanks Joanne what a thoughtful comment. I guess when you have a Beagle with the same name as Joe, and a son with Joe’s middle name…we are bound to be connected….it seems so right that it was our boys that Joe was picking up on June 2nd….just so right.
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Oh wow. I don’t know how you could write about receiving a sign from Joe with such beautiful balance between humor and emotion. But you did: I am laughing and crying at the same time. I am grateful to be able to read about something so amazing, and so personal. Thank you.
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