My Brother, My Pal, My Conscience - You are with me always

Today on the 3rd anniversary of my brother's passing on to eternity, I feel a bit like the little girl in this photo taken in 1947, i.e., annoyed and somewhat peeved.   How could you leave me, Charlie? Charlie, on the other hand, is admiring the beautiful bride, as he looks up in wonder.  I hope today, somewhere in the great beyond, he is looking up in wonder. I feel his spirit strongly but it doesn't necessarily take away my feelings of annoyance.  I want to feel his hug and touch his hand.

I recently came across a "make-believe" letter that Charlie probably wrote as a school assignment.  We are together in the letter and it seems so right.  I feel so proud and happy that he though enough to "take me" to Grand Forks, North Dakota, with him!  I had to laugh when he asks, "Did Meg fall on her head anymore?"  Was Meg in the habit of falling on her head?  I also smiled when I saw that he signed a letter to his Mama ( a person, as he once said, he'd known from an early age) with "Yours Truly" rather than "Love".  I can only imagine that this was part of the criteria for his school assignment or possibly his dry, ever present sense of humor.  Here is the letter copied in his own handwriting for your reading pleasure.  Nice penmanship for a little boy, huh?

 And finally, a photo of the wonderful man.  I love you Charlie.   I have loved you from day one and will love you forever.  Your sister, Mary