Still A Wonderful Life

 "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives, and when he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he? Clarence Oddbody; Angel Second Class 

Richard Thomas Moran

  Sept 27, 1979-Sept 23, 2010

I find it hard to believe, but it has been ten years since we lost Rich. And, still, there isn't a day that we don't remember something about him and miss him just as fiercely as ever. I always thought we would have a big party for the tenth anniversary. We would invite everyone we could think of and listen to their stories, and laugh and cry. He would have liked that, and there would be a lot of stories.

Of course, those were pre-Covid plans. Instead, there will be a small gathering with just some of his siblings. I feel sad that we can't all be together, but there will be Zoom. Not the same, but that is how a lot of things seem to be handled these days.

I've seen so many changes in the last ten years. If anyone had told me that I would move three times, lose my husband, mother, and brother, walk Bridget down the aisle at her wedding to Matt, help with grief counseling, work at a funeral home, travel to my favorite places, become a House Mom for a  fraternity, and re-connect and marry my wonderful John......Well, I probably wouldn't have believed any of it. I know Rich would have had a lot to say!

                                    

I still have his original "Bucket List" framed. I did the embellishing, after I found it. It sounds so much like him that reading it always makes me smile. He named authors that he wanted to meet, books to read, and places to go. Maybe now he has run with the bulls, and lived in a lighthouse, and talked to Shakespeare about his plays. I hope so.

John and I are blending our families. Between us we have ten children and thirteen grandchildren. We have both lost a son and a spouse.  I am still trying to find places for all the photos! We have been married for nearly a year. In normal times, we would have seen a lot more of  the family. I am looking forward to normal!