Uncle Curty "The Great" is what we called him. Great doesn't even begin to cover it. For me, my uncle provided a safe place that felt like home. Where I could just be. From childhood he gave me shelter from the storms of this life that I needed so badly. As a young adult he let me run wild and experience life, make mistakes, fall down and get back up again all without judgement. Now, as an adult, he continued to give me a space to feel safe, the freedom to do it my way, but also guidance, experience, and most importantly, unconditional love and support. He wasn't just my uncle... He was my best friend, my shoulder to cry on, my mentor, my voice of reason, and so much more.
If he were here now he would tell me "This too shall pass." As much as I've said this phrase to myself (and him) when looking at hard situations, it never occured to me that it can be applied to the beautiful things in life as well. We spoke often about being present, finding joy, humility, gratitude, and peace. So today, I know his wish for me would be to LIVE. To love hard and with my whole heart, to be kind to myself, to be patient and present with my children and the ones I hold dear, to never sell myself short, to always remain grateful and recognize how far I've come, to be unapologetically and enthusiastically me. These moments are all we have, live them.