Greetings from Newport Beach, California, USA!
“Photo” was taken on Tuesday, December 11, 2007.
I was surprised to learn that the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral came out over thirteen years ago. You may be surprised to learn that it is one of my personal favorites. “Wedding” in the title practically screams chick flick but it’s well written (Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay), well casted and well acted, making it very entertaining (Oscar nomination for Best Picture too). I mention the movie when joking that after three weddings, if I attended a fourth one this year, the funeral would be mine. Not a single wedding is on my calendar but last week there was a funeral – obviously not my own or the origins of this latest email would be very suspicious. The recently deceased was a friend’s mother – I never actually met the woman but ironically I first met the friend at a wedding almost three years ago.
Fortunately my list of weddings far exceeds funerals in my thirty-odd years of life. Unfortunately my list of dearly departed covers the entire age range from my cousin’s daughter (she was stillborn nine years ago this month) to my maternal grandmother (After we spent a day together, she passed away that evening at age 81). In between?
There was a family friend’s daughter who drove too fast and hit a dip in the road, causing her car to flip with her boyfriend and her inside. Seatbelt use – he did and lived, she did not and died. There was a classmate from my high school years who collapsed after coming home from his college class. He had an undiagnosed medical condition, probably the same one that causes the seizures that his twin brother starting having years later. There was the neighbor’s son who lived in excess – too much eating, too much drinking, too much smoking – until his body endured too much. He left behind an out-of-wedlock infant daughter who will never know him.
The first death was preventable. The second death was unfortunate. The third death was sadly inevitable. What’s worse is that they were all my age. The family friend’s daughter died at 17 and I was 16 at the time. The classmate was 20 and so was I. The neighbor’s son was 28 and I was 27. Death is bad enough. When it happens to someone your own age, especially in your youth, your own mortality becomes more palpable.
You may have already noticed that I have no photo this week. You may also notice that I end these emails on a positive note. In lieu of a photo is a simple placard to honor my friend’s mother. I avoid using people’s names – I should explain why in a future email – but this is a worthy exception. As for a positive note after writing about death, here it is: In the season full of giving and getting, remember to appreciate what you already have.
Angelo
“Photo” was taken on Tuesday, December 11, 2007.
I was surprised to learn that the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral came out over thirteen years ago. You may be surprised to learn that it is one of my personal favorites. “Wedding” in the title practically screams chick flick but it’s well written (Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay), well casted and well acted, making it very entertaining (Oscar nomination for Best Picture too). I mention the movie when joking that after three weddings, if I attended a fourth one this year, the funeral would be mine. Not a single wedding is on my calendar but last week there was a funeral – obviously not my own or the origins of this latest email would be very suspicious. The recently deceased was a friend’s mother – I never actually met the woman but ironically I first met the friend at a wedding almost three years ago.
Fortunately my list of weddings far exceeds funerals in my thirty-odd years of life. Unfortunately my list of dearly departed covers the entire age range from my cousin’s daughter (she was stillborn nine years ago this month) to my maternal grandmother (After we spent a day together, she passed away that evening at age 81). In between?
There was a family friend’s daughter who drove too fast and hit a dip in the road, causing her car to flip with her boyfriend and her inside. Seatbelt use – he did and lived, she did not and died. There was a classmate from my high school years who collapsed after coming home from his college class. He had an undiagnosed medical condition, probably the same one that causes the seizures that his twin brother starting having years later. There was the neighbor’s son who lived in excess – too much eating, too much drinking, too much smoking – until his body endured too much. He left behind an out-of-wedlock infant daughter who will never know him.
The first death was preventable. The second death was unfortunate. The third death was sadly inevitable. What’s worse is that they were all my age. The family friend’s daughter died at 17 and I was 16 at the time. The classmate was 20 and so was I. The neighbor’s son was 28 and I was 27. Death is bad enough. When it happens to someone your own age, especially in your youth, your own mortality becomes more palpable.
You may have already noticed that I have no photo this week. You may also notice that I end these emails on a positive note. In lieu of a photo is a simple placard to honor my friend’s mother. I avoid using people’s names – I should explain why in a future email – but this is a worthy exception. As for a positive note after writing about death, here it is: In the season full of giving and getting, remember to appreciate what you already have.
Angelo
