Ripples

When I was growing up-the only babysitter my brother and I ever really had was my cousin Holly. She would come and stay with us and usually spend the night. 

It was always a ton of fun. We would play, stay up late, and watch movies we probably shouldn't have. 

On one of those nights, we were watching something scary upstairs in the guest bedroom. I think that, really, Holly was watching and my brother and I were pretending we couldn't sleep. 

At some point, my dog Sam came upstairs to let us know he had to go out. We took him downstairs, but when I opened the door to let him out, he wouldn't go. Sam just stood there with the hair on his back standing up. 

Well, being the ever dramatic child that I was...I became convinced that someone...some...thing was out there. 

So, we all freaked out. Someone was in the yard!!!! Terrified, we raced back upstairs with the cordless phone (remember cordless phones??). We tried to peek out the windows, but we couldn't see anything. 

We debated calling the police and finally decided on calling Holly's dad...my Uncle Pat. He's not really my uncle. Pat is my mom's first cousin, but it was just less confusing for me as a child to call all my moms cousins aunt/uncle. 

Since we were so panicked, Pat got in his car in the middle of the night and drove the thirty minutes to our house to walk around the yard and make sure we were safe. 

After he checked out the yard, he checked on us. And told us to get to bed. :) 

What kind of amazing dad drives over a mountain in the middle of the night to make sure his daughter is safe and sound? My Uncle Pat is that kind of amazing dad. 

And he passed away today after a long struggle with cancer. I think when a truly good person dies...it ripples out to all that knew and loved them. Their passing resonates and all their goodness is echoed and remembered. I remember Pat today and he has been on my mind. My heart goes out to my family in their loss. <3