A STAR IN HEAVEN

Living is a part of life, like going to die is a part of us. And in my blog “pink in our lives” is this also a sad part in the gay life.

I already have been to a funeral just in the first month of 2013 and yesterday was my grandfather’s first remembrance of a year that he passed away. Next year my grandmother and he would celebrate their 65^th anniversary of marriage!!! Like most people he left a lot of loved ones behind; a wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was a remarkable man to me, because as the eldest grandson I was afraid to do my coming out to him. I felt I had to be an example and most of the times the family were always laughing with gay people on television. Like the patriarch of the family my grandfather was always sitting at the head of the table and on birthdays he was always watching us. He could be a grumpy old man, but also he tried to have a prank on you all the time. He was difficult to read, except that you knew he loved his family. And he proved that to me………….

After my coming out to him, he made me feel like it was not unnatural and that he did not care what anyone thinks. I was his grandson and it made our bond better and stronger than before.  I said to him last  year  in my funeral speech at that point in my life, when I did my coming out to him and with his reaction, I felt I had one of the coolest and greatest grandfathers in the world.

On the other side of my family we remember our grandparents also in a way they would appreciate. My Indonesian grandparents were both born on the same day and every year around the 8^th of July we celebrate this with the whole family. This is a special day for us all and after they both have been gone, we kept this tradition. We are doing every year around that date something special. Mostly only a for a day, but sometimes for a whole weekend together. In 2015 we are planning something big, because then our grandparents both would have been 100 years old each. It is something we all look forward to every year and it is mostly about being together,  reminisce our grandparents and eat a lot of food (which is very common for Indonesians LOL). Our grandparents will love seeing the whole family together from above the sky, especially because the family tree is expanding continiously ;o))

The ones that passed away and it does not matter how they went or who they were in real life, they are another star in heaven. They are now watching and guarding their loved ones from above. Hold those good memories and cherish them. Make sure you keep remembering and trust that they are always in your heart.

This all made me think that everybody should be remembered by their loved ones and that is why I am making a special category in my blog. This is for all the ones who got a touch of Pink and have passed away. Just a little remembrance of who they are and what they did in our Pink community without judgement or prejudice. It is called: R.I.P.   It will be updated accordingly, but hopefully not too often.

Keep smiling and remembering!!!! Have a Pink day

Big kiss,

Lesley