Auntie Touch,
It’s been a year and some months since the Lord called you home. Since then, I’ve more than missed you and your presence here with us. But, on your birthday, I’ve also found solemn peace in knowing that you are feeling no more pain in your earthly being.
Above anything, I want to thank you. I realized that you taught me a lesson that impacts my biggest life decisions. From you, I learned how to take advantage of all this world has to offer. From my point of view, you lived a semi-nomadic life, never really staying in one place for too long. You proved to me that there are opportunities outside of what is available in Cleveland.
It’s because of you that the only two grad schools I applied to were in Fort Worth, Texas, and San Diego, California. I was leaving Ohio one way or another! The traveling bug also pushed me to take an internship at UC Berkeley over Ohio State in the summer after my Junior year. Even now, as I make a new home in Chicago and make plans to Portugal later this year, that get-up and move spirit is still fresh on me! I would give anything to talk with you about how that trip goes. These experiences; at UC Berkeley, TCU, and Chicago have been absolutely pivotal to my professional development, and more importantly, my personal growth.
I’m particularly thankful that the last memory I have of being with you in the physical sense was Christmas Eve 2019. We had such a great time that night! No doubt due to the games you put together and painstakingly lead (see video to the left). It’s quite the fitting memory of your great hugs, wonderful smile, giving $pirit (iykyk), and boisterous laughter.
I can’t help but be overwhelmingly grateful for the time we have spent together. With the help of Auntie Marlene, I put together a little playlist of songs that remind me of you. I’ll be listening when I want to fill a little closer to you. Love you always.
Baby Jay 🤎
Listen to the playlist on Spotify or Apple Music
