Tulips and Lilies in December~

~ Tulips and Lilies in December ~

I am hoping that your CHRISTmas was blessed with family, friends and the peace that fills the air during this season. 

May the reason for the season, continue to flow through your hearts this day and the whole New Year through.

Tulips and Lilies in December...
the entry was  done long ago, and as I was searching my files the other day I reclaimed it. For whatever reasons, I had never published it before. 

Happy New Year Blessings all around~

This entry is dedicated to my precious cousin EJ...Ervin Jerome Richards...

EJ was a devoted son, a dedicated brother, a wonderful friend to me, and many others.

I sent him my usual Christmas greeting, posted the day after Thanksgiving.

The other day, a post came by mail from the small town where EJ lived, and it was from someone that I had never heard of. 
It was from the Judge Executive, whom also was a very good friend of EJ.
He was returning my Christmas greeting, along with a note that stated my cousin had passed away on October 26. 
No one knew what to do about contacting the people in EJ's address book and thus waited on events such as sending a Christmas greeting to then relay the message that EJ had died.

EJ's heart had been strong and healty following an autopsy report. 
He had simply gone to bed and his heart stopped beating, is what I was told.

EJ was not only my cousin and friend, but a world traveler and photographer.  On Christmas Eve, I received a huge package from the Judge Executive...
all of the photographs that EJ had taken on his recent journey to Cambodia. 
All other photographs, personal items, antiques galore, will all go on auction January 28...

My heart aches.  I never heard from him Thanksgiving, and just thought, he must be traveling when I had rang him to greet him, when he was late making his call my way.  Then time slipped by and I thought...I shall speak with him on Christmas day...and then I got the word.

Thankful for memories, thankful for family, thankful for EJ and his very sweet spirit always in my life, and the life of all whom had the good pleasure of knowing him. 

Farewell EJ...
I shall remember you always with a special fondness in my heart~