A Thanksgiving to Remember

Alex [BB] and I learned of Ruby’s passing on the day of Thanksgiving. We saw her sister at the house and BB said, “Mom Ruby is gone I can feel it.” I posted about Ruby on February 14, 2014, she came to our house and told us that she was terminal and she was going to die at home. I shared with Ruby the story of the loss of my beloved friend Debbie Avila, girlwiththepen and it blessed Ruby so. Through that loss I have also become acquainted with a sweet friend Genie, it amazes me how loss and the commonality of grief and missing binds folks together and cements a shared friendship.  The link about Debbie and Ruby is below if you feel like reading.

https://michellemarieantellg.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/ruby-came-to-sayim-terminalshe-blessed-me-so/

August, 11, 2014, Ruby came to see me while we were baling hay. I blogged about her hugs and her determination to stay present in her dying! She didn’t want to be drugged and slip away! I cannot say enough or express myself properly about this so I’ll let my previous posts tell the story if you feel like reading.

https://michellemarieantellg.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/time-to-bale-hay/

Ruby’s sister told me that she wanted to feel all that life had to offer even in the pain of dying Ruby was such a fighter. BB is sad and our hearts are heavy when we look across the street and her house dark. I’ll miss Ruby, my walking buddy. She walked her dog Stinkpot and I walked Angel when the  summer nights were hot even though she only walked “1/2 way,” that is what Ruby would say I’m only going “1/2 way,” she looked for me each night. Then we sat on her drive way in lawn chairs and waved at all the neighbors as they walked by. I am smiling now as I think how much she loved Alex [BB] when BB was in the hospital Ruby knew it. Neighbors pay attention to each other and when something isn’t right they walk across the street and ask because they love you and you are part of their every day life. This is what I love most about moving BB to the country, the feeling of community, being part of people’s lives, in life and also in death. Something about that makes my heart feel so big right now.