I was so sad to hear of Uncle Sonny’s passing, and I send my condolences to Aunt Linda, his family, and all who loved him.

When you love someone, no amount of time is ever enough to get to spend with them. Because I live so far away, I didn’t get to see Uncle Sonny much, but when I did it was always such a mood boost, not just the highlight of my day but one of the highlights of my trip.

I am incredibly grateful for the time I did get to spend with him, and so appreciative of the time he would spend on the phone with me, sharing stories I hadn’t heard and offering (asked for!) advice. He was an incredible, insightful listener, and such a calming, uplifting presence, even connected only by a phone.

When you live far away, you miss people already; in a way, it makes grieving easier, the disruption to my day-to-day tempo, I know, is not so great as it is for others.

But there is a terrible finality to it, to know you’ll never hear your loved one’s voice again, nor see their face, and it hurts my heart.

To all those who loved my uncle, I loved him too, and I share your grief. You are in my thoughts, and heart.