The Uncles

I have had a feeling for a long time that I needed to make a trip to Driggs, Idaho and visit my Dad's brothers. My Dad has been gone for twenty two years. Unfortunately, in these years we haven't had a lot of visits with my Dad's family. It makes me sad. Very, very sad.

When I was a little girl we would spend a lot of time with my Dad's family. My grandparent's lived in the family home with my Uncle Darrel(he never married) and my Uncle Alvin lived across the street. We spent many, many a Saturday or Sunday at my grandparent's home. My Dad fished, hunted, rock hunted and visited with his brothers a lot. As children they were such a large part of my life.

Since my Dad's untimely death there has been very little interaction with the family members. Our family's kept growing and getting older. My Dad was the second youngest of seven. I am one of the youngest grandchildren.

I am so glad that we went to visit. My Uncle Alvin lost his wife a few years ago. He and my Dad were always close. They both taught school and loved the outdoors. It is always interesting to listen to my Uncle Alvin because I hear my Dad's voice in his voice. It is a sound I miss. My Uncle Alvin has really started to become more frail in the last couple of years. He is about eighty, I guess that it does happen.

My Uncle Darrel never married. My grandparent's always provided and took care of him. For some reason he just never really functioned in the real world. He is not handicapped but he just never went out and took on his own life. Now a days, he would probably be diagnosed with some sort of social phobia or Asperger's Autism. Regardless of those things he is still my Dad's brother. Over the years there have been many difficulties with these behaviors. After my Grandpa died my Dad tried to help Darrel. He gave him a job and tried to help him to help himself. That is a difficult thing for a grown adult man. It was hard on my Dad as well.

When my Dad died suddenly , there was really no one to look out for Darrel. I have felt so sad about this for many years. I think of him in his little apartment alone, day after day. I know that he has help come in and I am grateful for that. I also know that if someone has to be alone Darrel is the perfect type of personality for it. He is quite anti social, it's just the way he is. He doesn't really need people like most of us need people. However, I often think of my Uncle Darrel and then think of my Dad. I know that no matter how many problems my Uncle created or avoided in his life my Dad would have never left him alone. He would have done everything in his power to help him. He would have always visited and helped to take care of him the best he could.

I often feel helpless in this situation. There isn't much I can do. However, I decided that I had to at least visit him and let him know that I think of him. I remember him picking raspberries from the garden for us. I remember him giving us vitamin C tablets the size of silver dollars. He was a presence that was always there in my childhood. A presence that I feel deserves respect and love.

I wish I could do more.
Uncle Alvin

Uncle Darrell

The beautiful Teton mountains. I had to stop on the side of the road to get this picture. There is a feeling in this beautiful basin that only exists there. Every time I go there I get homesick. There is a longing that I feel when I am where my Dad spent so much of his life. I guess that it just reminds me how much I miss him. It never ever goes away.