HAPPY 2011!

I am hoping that this entry will be the first of many positive entries for the year. While Christmas time was a disastrous time for my family, including the death of our cousin, and beloved family priest, I feel that the next 12 months will be better.

While I am happy to move on to happy things, I believe a moment of reflection is warranted on this blog for Fr. Richard (Dick) Coz.

Father Dick, as my family called him, officiated at my parents wedding, and at countless family occasions (baptisms, anniversaries, communions, etc.) He was the first cousin of my Grandfather, who passed away in June. They were great friends their whole lives and both served in WW2 and were extremely devoted to the Catholic church. (obviously!) Fr Dick entered the priesthood after serving in the navy and was faithful, dutiful, and true until his death on New Years Eve. He was a wonderful man. He rarely discussed God or politics at the dinnertable. He always told us stories about our grandparents, ancestors, and the world as it was. He kept the records, the stories, the geneaolgies. When I was a senior in High School, he came to teach at my school. I got to see him everyday and chat with him in the halls. He always kept busy, he always laughed, and he always had time to say hi.
At his funeral, on the feast of the epiphany, I was the only family member who was allowed to participate in the service. We drove out to the lovely Mission Church in Santa Clara after gathering at Cousin Bobbie's house for soup. The mission was beautiful and packed full. People kept asking me, was I nervous? After speaking at 2 other funerals in the last 12 months I'm not sure I had any nerves left anyway. I did not feel nervous, mainly because I felt I owed it to Fr Dick. I felt he deserved to have a strong reader pray loudly at his funeral, and this time, it was not about grief or loss, but honor. I wanted to honor the man that had served his community and family so selflessly. So I was not nervous, I read without faltering, and everyone was impressed. which I actually found rather ridiculous.

But I feel, that through the experiences of last year, I have gained alot. I feel like I truly became an adult. I really understand loss better than anything else I experience, but I have gained, too, confidence. I feel like I have walked through my own personal hell and if I can face the deaths of my favorite people, and lose the people who tether me to my identity, that I have a strength that no one can take from me.