Goodbye Papa...

They come in threes some say....

Yesterday afternoon, our family received yet another loss with the passing of my dear 89 year-old grandfather, Irving Peck. He had been in sharp decline over the past year - and finally sucumbed to pneumonia - which had come on in the past couple of days.

I last saw him alive on Thursday night....standing next to his hospital bed with my cousin, brother and aunt. He was clearly on his way out at that point. Although I wanted to believe that this was just another stint at the hospital - it was hard to avoid the feeling that something had changed.....that this would be the last time.

I was tired from too many nights of nerve pain and decided to leave his bedside at midnight. I kissed him on the forehead and told him to get some sleep. Underneath his oxygen mask, he mumbled something about going to a "meeting" somewhere. Since he had been getting more and more incoherent in recent months - I didn't think much of it.

Sadly....he was right.

I got the call from my Mom on Friday afternoon. He had left us quietly around 3pm - as the rain fell outside.

I headed over to the hospital and sat at his bedside. The nurse said it was a peaceful end and offered her condolences. We were alone together. Papa and I - one last time. I can still see him in my mind's eye. A frail, old man....his mouth half-open and his eyes closed to the world. I cried like a child - with those deep sobs that can swallow you whole.

Holding his hand, I could still feel the warmth from his body as it left him. Gone now....I kissed his forehead.

Goodbye Papa...