When you love someone, goodbyes can be difficult. I experienced this twice in one day yesterday. The first time was at the final graveside ceremony for Dr. Thomas F. Mulligan. The color guard presented the American flag to my uncle's bride of 65 years while family and friends stood in support beneath the shade of an old oak tree. The color guard moved with absolute precision reminiscent of my uncle's daily life as well as my own dad's life. The air was still. Not even a light breeze. The sounds of the color guard playing "Taps" resonated throughout the cemetery grounds. It was over. This was the final act. Time to go home.
"You're coming over to Steve's," shouted out one of my cousins, referring to an after party for the attendees. Time passed quickly at the party. The winds were back in my sails again. My head was spinning as I observed my relatives interacting with great joy not typical in times of loss. I pictured all those in Heaven looking down at our gathering. Cousin John brought our uncle Jim back to life again with his near perfect imitation of our uncle interacting with us in our childhood. Nephews and nieces lined up outside to learn how to play ping pong. This is how it starts. Like Claire, who set aside her crutches and sat on the couch beside her uncle Jack and talked about her storied journey from club soccer to high school where she played badminton and won a state title. Her injury from a skiing accident would soon be in her rear view mirror. Claire beamed with one of those tooth paste commercial smiles when she shared her plans to enter medical school.
It was time to say goodbye. Not easy. Mulligan moments like these tend to revolve around weddings and funerals. The good news for us is that the only way you can distinguish one from the other is from the colors. Whether we are sporting black or white, we are joyful. All I can say is I'm thankful to be a part of this amazing family. Have a great day.
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