Monday, January 14, 2019
Ottawa, September 7, 2011. Dear mon oncle and Jackie, Dear cousins, Cher Robert, I am so sorry for the loss of your dear mother, friend and companion, Rita. I cannot begin to imagine how hard this must be for you all. You loved her so. I loved you, too, ma tante. From the moment mon oncle Yvon introduced you to us, you captured my heart. I was around 14, only about 8 years difference in age with you, and I thought that was so cool! I loved your gorgeous smile, your liveliness, your directness, your honest and no-nonsense talk and attitude. With you, what we saw is what we got. No pretense, no talking about others behind their backs, you said it all to us in our faces! I liked that. And I try to follow that example in my own life. You were brave enough to show yourself exactly the way you were. That endeared me to you. You confided in me sometimes. I will always cherish the memory of our long talks about life, acceptance, wisdom, spirituality, and God. I shared some of your fears, and that made it easy for me to listen and to open up to you. You somehow seemed to think you were alone with your fears, but the truth is, you weren't. We all share them as human beings, and that's why we need each other. Ironically, we also had something else in common: our joie de vivre. And I think we were able to live well with our contradictions, they gave us a kind of balance. I truly missed being geographically closer to you... We could have talked so much more. I was fortunate enough, though, to be present at one of your private (family) puppet shows, and was really impressed by your creative talent. You did nothing half-heartedly. And that karaoke act where you sang some crooner's song as you came down the living room stairs at mon oncle and Jackie's house, with a red boa around your neck and a black wide-brimmed hat! It was like you came straight out from the Moulin Rouge! We laughed our heads off! And you were ecstatic when I gave you my silk Spanish fan to complement your act... I also saw you play doctor with Felicia and Adam when they were little, at Claudine's. You were the patient, of course, and they were the doctor and the nurse. And, boy, were you ever patient... The game must have gone on for hours! I quiver at the thought of the number of operations you must have undergone over the years with your grandkids at your bedside! Ma tante, you brought joy, laughter, candour and straightforwardness into my life. You were a breath of fresh air for me! I thank you and love you for who you are. I pray for the repose of your soul, ch�re tante Rita. God bless you and receive you in His loving arms for eternity. You deserve only the Best. Yolande
