My Uncle Harry was tall and large like a bear, with a full head of hair and a tidy side part. Despite his height, he was a shy man with a gentle, funny laugh and quiet, interesting theories. An architect and inventor, my Uncle Harry once installed a fireman's pole in his house because it seemed a sensible form of transportation. He also designed a folding bicycle that was given to the champions one year at the Olympic games. His pets were almost as special as he -- an unfazed and wise iguana and 2 white husky dogs who sang (rather amazingly) in chorus.
My Uncle Harry died this past weekend. Cancer.
In the days just before, my father, sitting by his bed, told him that he was sure he would come back as a butterfly in his next life. As for me, I think my Uncle Harry drifted off, just like a very memorable sunset at the end of a long and beautiful day.
Goodnight and goodbye, Uncle Harry.
Images from Essaouira, Morocco