Take Note

I found myself watching him more often as he aged My uncle is married to my mom’s sister I have been abundantly blessed in the aunt and uncle department Three aunts and three uncles All six were God-given and for that I am eternally grateful This particular uncle always made me laugh Even at a young age he endeared himself to me with humor He would make my sister and I laugh just because he could He even distracted us when family relationships were strained Always loving and kind and helpful I understood that I should take note His actions and words were examples for me for when I got older How to include others How to be kind and generous And how to serve others well Never expecting anything in return As he aged and as his hearing failed him I found myself leaning in so he could hear me Sometimes just so we could continue a conversation in a crowded room Always intentional with his words I knew that what he had to say was important and I was tasked with listening The knowledge that he has imparted to me since childhood Is stored in the recesses of my memory For recall when it is needed most So thankful for wisdom shared with me I hope that I can have such an influence on others in my life His heart is wearing out and his hearing continues to fail But his hugs are warm and welcoming His heart still beats strongly for his wife and children and grandchildren For his niece who will always be ever so thankful That he loves my husband and our children in the exact same manner My uncle has personified love to our entire family for a lifetime Take note This is how it is done