I’ve been away for a bit, for reasons explained here, and I’ll be blogging lightly the rest of the week, but after that will probably be basically offline until 2007. I’ll post some surprises to keep you busy, but let’s face it, it’s the quiet time of year. Which doesn’t mean it can’t be the shittiest time of the year. My grandfather died 15 years ago on January 2. My uncle Joel died on December 16th of this year.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of famous and talented people, but despite that some of the most amazing people on earth are the ones who don’t end up in history books, the people who just touch our lives and teach us how to live. My grandfather taught me to enjoy the flight of a hawk in a gray winter sky, the carving of a sassafras knot, and much else. Joel taught me to smell the notes of blackberry in a glass of red wine, and to worry about the safety of others without letting it ruin what you were trying to protect.

These people don’t get written up in history books, so they live on in how we remember them and how we live our lives. This holiday, I encourage you all to remember these people, to pass on the memories. Their lessons were well taught.

1 COMMENT

  1. Okay Heidi…I’m taking you up on this to say how much I love you and your column.

    I’ll be thinking about you during the holidays, and your loss.

    On behalf of all your readers, we really treasure all you do.

    –Pete

  2. That was lovely, Heidi. My condolences on the loss of your uncle. You were lucky in your choice of families.

  3. Heidi,

    I’m so sorry to hear about this. I’m a Duke alum as well and still live in Durham–I also have that piece of the old floor up on my wall. I was just in Cameron Indoor Stadium last night for a game, and I hope your uncle has become one of the stadium’s many happy spirits.

    –Rob

  4. My deepest condolences on your loss.
    Be well, and I agree with your comments…. so many unsung heroes.

  5. My thought and good wishes, too, to your and your family. The finest way we honor those who have gone before us lies often in how we’ve taken their examples to heart to become the people we have become; by that standard, know that you do your uncle and your grandfather proud.

    Be good to yourself.

  6. Reading this made me pause to think that I didn’t get around to paying any tribute to my only uncle who died late last summer out in Wayne, NJ. Been so engrossed in my own work and personal problems (yeah, like beating my psycho ex-porn star neighbor with a mental stick at her own psychological warfare game – see myspace blog for details) to pay any heed. Face it, 2006 was a crappy year for me and I find it’s always the even ended years that screw me up rather than the odd ones. So hopefully, 2007 will be a good year for me,… creatively at least. So I’m feeling your pain here, Heidi. Chin up.

    ~

    Coat

  7. heidi,

    your tribute was beautiful and my thoughts are with you and your family especially at this time of year. esophageal cancer is a terrible disease, my grandfather passed away from it two years ago.

    thank you for the beat and the best wishes to you in 2007.

    christine