He is gone and there is a hole in our lives which he used to fill. Someday, perhaps, we will be like him in filling other’s lives.

R says that “he wasn’t all there” when we saw him three weeks ago. His explanation is that the spirit of Pappa began to separate from his body. He certainly wasn’t much like Pappa when we saw him this weekend. He saw things no one else saw, couldn’t discern between dreaming and living, and didn’t know us.

Does your spirit begin to leave your body as you prepare to die?

The best thing for Pappa is that he got to die at home, not in the hospital far from his family. Grama was sitting by his side holding his hand when he left his earthly body.

Tell my grandparents I said hi, Pappa.