Finally, my dear cousin was put to rest. "Melda is now a diamond, glittering in the jeweled midnight skies forever."
A couple of weeks after her death, Kina, (her older sister), took Angie, (the other sister) and I out to dinner to talk of their younger sibling's passing.
There, the three of us reflected on her life. We laughed, we cryed, we smiled as we remembered her love, and her spirit. At times we sat in silence; confused and unsure, looking for solace in her untimely death.
At her grave site I spoke of the things we reminisced upon with a heavy heart missing her, but yet with gladness and peace remembering her, as she is now in the presence of endless love where pain is no more.
Imelda or "Melda" as we knew her to be was someones daughter; Alejios & Delores Gonzales, someones sister, Christina & Angie; a niece to many tios & tias. A special "Aunt Dota" to her own nieces & nephews. A special cousin to me and to other cousins. A friend to many and finally what she always longed to be, a mother to five blessed and very fortunate adopted children
When I go back to my thoughts of Melda I remember someone who loved to laugh with a warm smile. She had a beautiful sonrisa, (smile): her laughter was true and genuine. It came from her heart and I could sense that it did, because the tone of that laughter touched my own heart everytime.
Melda loved to play practical jokes, quite the "prankster." Her sisters told of a time when she was feeling a little "devilish." Tieing a fishing line to a photo on the living room wall and extending the line to her bedroom where, she was able to control the movement of the picture. When the sisters and mother saw the picture move, they were immediately scared because for one, the house itself had rumors of it being haunted. Aunt Delores had to take her glasses off and wipe them, to make sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her.
Back in the bedroom was Melda laughing uncontrollably sensing her joke was successful. Something I believed she inherited from her father, my Tio Alex, as he was quite the caper himself.
Another heredity acquired was from her mother, the passion for cooking. When she married, (a Puerto Ricano), she took easily to their customs.
Although I never got to sample any of her dishes Kina & Angie said that she learned to cook some great Puerto Rican foods and learned to speak the language almost fluently.
She also took up dancing and won a Merenguie/Salsa contest. She seemed to take a strong liking to Puerto Rico, eventually moving there making friends and friends also with the neighborhood kids.
She helped keeping them from trouble, offering them refuge from danger if needed. A Guardian Angel indeed in the making.
The girls, her sisters, miss her terribly I know... Especially after losing both parents they became even closer.
Melda was a loving part of their lives, leaving many lifelong memories in their hearts and souls to be treasured... a love they will never outgrow.
We all love her and miss her so much but we should also take comfort from the knowledge that her spirit remains in each one of us family and friends.
May her laughter touch Heaven as it did the Earth.
Joy she gave and joy she has found with Our Heavenly Father, Our Lord Jesus and her loving parents. May she rest in peace.
A couple of weeks after her death, Kina, (her older sister), took Angie, (the other sister) and I out to dinner to talk of their younger sibling's passing.
There, the three of us reflected on her life. We laughed, we cryed, we smiled as we remembered her love, and her spirit. At times we sat in silence; confused and unsure, looking for solace in her untimely death.
At her grave site I spoke of the things we reminisced upon with a heavy heart missing her, but yet with gladness and peace remembering her, as she is now in the presence of endless love where pain is no more.
Imelda or "Melda" as we knew her to be was someones daughter; Alejios & Delores Gonzales, someones sister, Christina & Angie; a niece to many tios & tias. A special "Aunt Dota" to her own nieces & nephews. A special cousin to me and to other cousins. A friend to many and finally what she always longed to be, a mother to five blessed and very fortunate adopted children
When I go back to my thoughts of Melda I remember someone who loved to laugh with a warm smile. She had a beautiful sonrisa, (smile): her laughter was true and genuine. It came from her heart and I could sense that it did, because the tone of that laughter touched my own heart everytime.
Melda loved to play practical jokes, quite the "prankster." Her sisters told of a time when she was feeling a little "devilish." Tieing a fishing line to a photo on the living room wall and extending the line to her bedroom where, she was able to control the movement of the picture. When the sisters and mother saw the picture move, they were immediately scared because for one, the house itself had rumors of it being haunted. Aunt Delores had to take her glasses off and wipe them, to make sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her.
Back in the bedroom was Melda laughing uncontrollably sensing her joke was successful. Something I believed she inherited from her father, my Tio Alex, as he was quite the caper himself.
Another heredity acquired was from her mother, the passion for cooking. When she married, (a Puerto Ricano), she took easily to their customs.
Although I never got to sample any of her dishes Kina & Angie said that she learned to cook some great Puerto Rican foods and learned to speak the language almost fluently.
She also took up dancing and won a Merenguie/Salsa contest. She seemed to take a strong liking to Puerto Rico, eventually moving there making friends and friends also with the neighborhood kids.
She helped keeping them from trouble, offering them refuge from danger if needed. A Guardian Angel indeed in the making.
The girls, her sisters, miss her terribly I know... Especially after losing both parents they became even closer.
Melda was a loving part of their lives, leaving many lifelong memories in their hearts and souls to be treasured... a love they will never outgrow.
We all love her and miss her so much but we should also take comfort from the knowledge that her spirit remains in each one of us family and friends.
May her laughter touch Heaven as it did the Earth.
Joy she gave and joy she has found with Our Heavenly Father, Our Lord Jesus and her loving parents. May she rest in peace.
~LJS
