Last night, I dreamt of my Aunt Ollie's house. It's strange to think that I did not dream of my Aunt Ollie (who was one of the most fabulous women I was blessed to know and call my Aunt) but rather of her house. I miss her every day and so wish I could share the events of my days nowadays with her as I used to do growing up; she was such a special person who called me "her girl". Here is the last picture I had taken with one of my favorite people in her cozy living room where she and I talked for countless hours about anything and nothing.
There were plenty of times when I made the 3.5 hour drive home from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and went straight to Aunt Ollie's house in Port Carbon before heading home to my parents' house a couple towns away from her house. In high school, my friends and I were never too "cool" to swing by her house and say hi when cruising Pottsville.
Yes, Aunt Ollie was my rock, my go-to person with arms always wide open for a big ol' hug, and someone who never judged me. She could always be counted on to tell it as it was but at the same time was always on your side and of course, Aunt Ollie always had a batch of home baked cookies to offer.
I hope to be half the woman she was and to inspire others the way she did me. Aunt Ollie's last words were, "Celebrate my life"....and not a day goes by that I don't think of her and what an impact she had on me. What a life she lived and what a legacy she left to those of us who were honored to call her family, friend, & mentor. When I think of all that has happened over the last 11 years since she has been gone, my heart hurts a little. Actually, it hurts a lot. She would just adore my niece and nephews. Oh my gosh, would she love my little Dusty Shamrock. I can see her now snuggling with this little cuddle bug I call a puppy. She would beam with pride to hear of what I hope to do 8 months from today. More than anything though, I would just want to be wrapped up in a big hug and told, "Well, why don't you take off your coat and stay a while?! I was just beginnin' to like ya!"
So, I'm not sure why I dreamt of Aunt Ollie's house last night but it was an interesting dream. All of my Mom's side of the family was there and it night time during the winter. I know this because I had snuck out the back kitchen door leaving behind the laughing, talking, and clinking sounds of the silverware as folks conversed and ate (these were all sights and sounds that were definitely typical of a family gathering at Aunt Ollie's) and walked the length of thinly blanketed snow-covered yard to the quiet edge of the yard where the shed should have been. The shed was not there but in the moonlight instead were tall sunflowers that basked in the cool white light of the moonbeams. As I gazed up at the twinkling stars and wondered how the sunflowers could be in full bloom in a) the middle of winter and b) the middle of the night, I was surprised to see the Three Rivers and Gateway Clipper ship in front of me beyond the perimeter of the yard instead of the small crick that flows behind Aunt Ollie's house. As if all that weren't confusing enough, I felt the presence of a man to my right. Next thing I know my pastel striped glove-enclosed fingers found their way into the hand of a tall, dark, mysterious man. There was a sense of familiarity yet newness about him and I got the feeling that I was supposed to know this guy but I was still wondering why a scene of Pittsburgh was in front of these sunflowers at Aunt Ollie's house on the other side of Pennsylvania. Leave it to me to not just go with the flow in a romantic moment in my dream and to be analyzing the mixed up PA geography. Ha!
So this guy and I talked about the sunflowers as if it were normal for us to be standing outside in the middle of the night among blooming sunflowers in the middle of the winter. At one point in the conversation, I glanced over my shoulder and saw my family laughing and celebrating around the large kitchen table. They didn't seem to miss our presence as the bright yellow light spilled out of the big bay windows to form large squares on the white snow beneath them. Just as I was about to turn my attention back to the man and gaze out over the river and the stars shining down on the water, one of my Mom's sisters poked her head out the back door and called for us to come back in and join the party. I woke up then, shivering from the cold night air in my dream, and with my heart racing just a little bit. I never did find out why we were gathered at Aunt Ollie's house or who Mr. Mysterious was.
Fast forward to Monday morning. I get up and go about my day, cleaning the Bonus Room and working on schoolwork, prepping for the class I'm teaching tomorrow, before heading to zumba. I took my little niece with me. The dream was all but a distant memory...until we made the drive back from Burlington. On the side of the highway, in an instant, the dream came rushing back to me when I saw this.
Of course, I had to pull over along the highway to take these photos. My little niece looked so beautiful investigating these flowers that I just had to snap a picture of her as well. She was amazed at the differing heights of the flowers that "don't smell Aunt Megan!?" Hehe...if I can be half the aunt to little Mason Noelle that Aunt Ollie was to me then I will be satisfied. I will also be sure to let my niece and nephews know about this wonderful great Aunt of theirs! The same goes for my grandparents and other loved ones who have already reached their final destinations!
Speaking of which....when I posted about Matt Ryd the other day, I had no idea that it was just two days shy of Suicide Prevention Week that kicked off today. This afternoon, his family posted the video at the bottom of this posting that they showed at his Celebration of Life on Saturday. I also saw this photo on his Facebook page....more sunflowers!
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