Thread Drift

[Amira]

I love knowing that you guys did that, after the fact. What a beautiful day it was to honor your brother's life like that.

I also plan to be cremated. Hopefully my loved-ones who are here after I pass will do something cool and meaningful like you guys have done for your brother.

I used to joke that they could scatter my ashes in the planters overlooking Neiman's shoe department, but seriously, I want to be scattered around like my brother (and in fact, in some of the same places...Tahoe and Vail among them). I figure he can come do the JDRF rides with me for years to come (I still have probably half the original container of ashes left). And, given that he had 413,660 miles on his 'super truck' when he died, I suspect he'll be cool with going to lots of different JDRF ride locations. The man did like to go places.

Talk about a surreal moment .... getting a Priority Mail box delivered to your office with ashes in it. I was taken aback at the heft of the box. My brother was so lean - imagine Lance, only about 3 inches shorter. But that box was heavy. I just kept looking at that box (through giant tears) and realizing that he HAD his priorities in the right place - I've never met anyone who lived life like my brother did. He loved what he did with a passion and he was a doer and adventurer. He left an unbelievable legacy of friends and memories and stories. He never made diddly squat monetarily, but he was the richest person I know in more important ways.

I so relate to the past few pages of posts of dealing with elderly relatives and diminished abilities, because that is my reality at the moment as well - my parents, my in-laws, my remaining aunts and uncles....and struggling through the right decisions for care, maintaining independence as long as possible and quality end of life decisions. You mourn the small losses of independence and faculties before the end, and, in the end, I expect that the loss of a parent is profound and deep, but it is a different loss entirely than that of a sibling. In our own way, we're found a way to cope and move forward (you never really get over it, though, it's something in your mind daily) and try to build something positive.

Hey, zoom-zoom, if I'm around and pedaling still, happy to have you 'ride along' on my bike one day. I hope people will do that for me, too. Think of all the great destination rides to come.