4 09 pm pst   [ death II ]

My grandmother's second husband, know as Popa to everyone in the family, died in 1992. My father told me late one evening, and then left for the funeral. I always wished I had been able to go; I wasn't given the option. I took a week off of school to go to my grandmother's funeral in Florida during my second year of college. I was sad my grandfather kept me from my uncle Melvin's funeral.

By some strange coincidence, my brother was in Berkeley visiting me at the time of my grandmother's death, so we were able to fly across the country together. Attending funerals gives me an important sense of closure, and I like to be available to support my loved ones. I though it important that Matthew attend his grandmother's funeral. Yesterday he said he didn't want to. Today he changed his mind, so we will be flying to LA together tomorrow evening after one of his midterms.

11 24 pm pst   [ death III ]

Apparently Matthew's father visited Matthew's grandmother very recently. She was doing poorly and though she was in a lot of pain, she said she wanted to stick around for Matthew's and his sister's graduations. Matthew's father told her it was alright to go. She died a few days later. The timing wouldn't seem so horrible if Matthew's sister's birthday wasn't tomorrow.

There is some sort of natural association between events and grandparents. When I think of my grandmother I am most sad that she missed my college graduation and that she will miss being a great-grandparent to my children.