My sweet Aunt Vedana

Seek for goodness, wisdom, light.

With faith and courage choose the right.

To guide your footsteps each day through with hope and love and blessings, too.

Purify each thought and deed; Have mercy on the soul in need.

serve your Father all you can through your friends and fellow man.

EOB 1955

Eleanor Blonquist Crowther

I love this poem. I read it for the first time on the back of the funeral program of my dear aunt. It was written by her mother, my grandmother, many years ago.

I was in Germany with my parents, husband, and two brothers when my dad got the news that his only sister, Vedana, had passed away.

It was nice to be able to give my dad a hug and cry with him as we internalized what it all meant. Unfortunately, Jared and I couldn't make it to her funeral service as it was on Wednesday and we were still not back in America.

I love my aunt Vedana. Truly, someone I admire with all my heart. She died of a stress induced, unique cancer. She spent her whole life serving others like you couldn't even imagine. She loved and served and loved some more. She was constantly upbeat and positive, with a great laugh and sense of humor. I remember when she came to Chicago for Kiera's wedding reception in 2005 with Nana. We were all at the dinner table just laughing and laughing and she and I had to leave cause we had wet our pants. Bonding moment people. True family bonding.

Jared and I were able to visit her back in June just a few days before we left for the Summer. I am so grateful we did that. My dad texted me at work and said he was not sure how much longer she would be alive and wondered if we could go represent the family and visit her and Nana. I felt that we needed to go that afternoon and so we did. Last time we saw her was at our wedding in December and she was up and moving. This time she was in obvious pain and lying in a hospital bed at her home. She was still upbeat and happy and it was SO wonderful to see her. So glad we have that memory with her.

She died August 24th.

She amazed me and continues to set a wonderful Christlike example for me and her loved ones. Trying to be a little better each day and a little more like her as I honor her memory.

heart.