Ashley Craw
I met my uncle Keith as a child and will miss him dearly as an adult. Over the past few days I have tried to recreate every memory and cherished moment from our past time together. It wasn't until I came back home to my mother's house today that it hit me. Standing in the kitchen I happened to see a single wrapped Reeses peanut butter cup that came from Keith's candy stash. This visual instantly snapped my mind back to my five year old self at my grandmother's house with my uncle. No matter what stupid thing I did as a child, and believe me there were a lot of things, for example: shutting my finger in the door, trying to clean the floor and making it sticky with pine sol, or pretending to fly from the dresser to the bed. Despite those ridiculous mishaps, Uncle Keith never failed to greet me with two reeses and a pepsi. These memories led me to others. Most uncles would not have driven their niece to the pool and sat there for hours every single day of the summer (even the cold days when you know children are freezing but they insist on swimming anyways). Not to mention the hundreds of tap shows he had to sit through as I tapped away to alvin and chimpunks and puttin on the ritz on the record player. I could go on and on about everything he has done for me over the years, but it is simpler to appreciate the little things, like seeing a single piece of candy. This one moment spiraled me into a flood of memories which helped me to remember what a gift I was given to have such a loving person in my childhood. Rest in peace Uncle Keith, you will be missed.