Giorgio (1943 - 2020)
RIP dear uncle. I mourn your final suffering, for an attack of the illness that was fast and relentless. You bled and did not say it. You underestimated your enemy or you simply decided that you wanted to face the final calling by yourself. The evil which was taking your body since 3 years had grown too strong. The infection unstoppable eating your hemoglobin particles away to 1/4 of their normal level. You were gasping for air, unable to get up and grab a glass of water or the telephone call that could have saved you. When help arrived, you drank and felt alive again and asked for 10 minutes more before the calling of an ambulance. But then you had to surrender. All the possible blood levels were scrambled. All life functions perturbed. You were out of your farm in the morning and could not even arrive to the next day. At 23:54 you exhaled your last breath in an emergency room - with no one on your side. You just could not be away from the land to which you spent most of your existence. Hospitals have never been for you.
Rest in peace. I remember your lively red face, your big strong dry hands, the straw in your hair when sleeping on the armchair, your loud comments and combative attitude to defend your rights. Your dedication to natural farming, the astronaut suit for beekeeping and your love for your animals. I remember me as a little kid following you in the green fields, looking up at you with admiration and wanting to become your friend. I did not have the chance to see you in your final days, but I'd like to remember you in your best days. You've lived your way, stubborn till the end, but with no master. Free.
I'm glad I was on a reconnecting path with you and that I met you again twice this summer. And that I managed to tell you about my desire to grow a food forest in your land. You, unexpectedly, agreed. I was meant to come over and start working on it (with you) the very day you were sized by that unsurmountable evil. But I'm still determined to plant that seed and dedicate it to you. I mourn the fact that I could not live with you for a while. You remain a bit of a mistery to me.
As much as I mourn your suffering and I experience a diffuse sense of loss, I am not mourning your Death. It came swiftly and took you in a flash. It was the chronicle of an expected end and that was the day it was meant to happen. As much as I could wish your life would be longer, I know that your illness had become inescapable. I wonder if you knew already, and for how long. Bye uncle, it was a nice ride we had together.
