It was the afternoon of Monday, February 2nd when I picked up the phone to call my Zia Ida (Zia is aunt in Italian) and when she picked up the phone I knew right off the bat I knew something just wasn’t right. My Zia just didn’t sound like her happy, cheerful self that day and she told me she wasn’t feeling well and was weak. She had a cold on top of her asthma and so no one thought much of it. We spoke for a few minutes, she asked about the girls and how they were doing…to be honest I think she asked 10 times just to make absolute sure they were doing well and I assured her that they were fantastic but I could hear it in her voice that she was tired and so I said “go rest Zia” and we got off the phone. Little did I know that, that would be my last conversation with her as the very next morning I woke up to a phone call from my cousin saying “Pina, my mom died!”. Something I never expected to hear…not then and not for a very long time.
My Zia Ida was full of life…the life of the party actually. She was 59 years old…just 59 and taken from us so suddenly. She died peacefully in her sleep, her heart just stopped they said. I’m still in shock and don’t know why 🙁
Well today we celebrate Family Day and I just can’t help but think of her and what I would have done differently if she was still here with us. It’s truly a shame that we think about this stuff after the fact when we should be thinking like this 24/7. Why is it that we wait till our loved ones are gone? There is so much I wish I could say to her, things I wish I could take back, and things I wish I could do over but I can’t…it’s too late.
So today on Family Day (and every day for that matter) if there is any advice I can give you it’s to make the most of it and spend it with your family and your loved ones. Life is too short to live with regrets.
Zia I miss you and love you, may you rest in peace xoxo