Uncle Rick and His Bluebirds

It is almost two weeks since Uncle Rick passed away. The suddenness of his passing certainly took us all off guard, but thankfully we were able to all be together in Northport, Long Island for the funeral ceremonies. During that time we had the opportunity to hold each other, cry together, remember Uncle Rick, and mourn the loss all of the moments he had planned to experience and we had planned to experience with him.

During the visitation someone shared a memory of Uncle Rick's bluebird project. Being the bird enthusiast that he was, Uncle Rick had at one point decided to single-handedly bring the eastern bluebird population back to Long Island. He researched, built special bluebird houses, and placed them all over the island. Religiously he went back to maintain and check up on them, but never in all that time did he ever see a bluebird on the island. Field mice and other critters took up residence in the bluebird houses, but no bluebird.

The funeral service was beautiful, but heartache was fresh. After James, Dave, Michael and Uncle Blue escorted his casket out of the church, it was draped with an American flag and placed in the hearse en route to the military cemetary where Aunt Barby chose to have him buried. At the cemetary we sat silently while two honor guards stood at attention on either side of the casket and Taps was played. The guards silently and formally folded the flag and presented it to Aunt Barby along with their condolences on behalf of the President and the US Navy. "It is an honor," they said.

The next day a few of us decided to take in some fresh air with a long walk on an old, public, wooded estate on the island. Not a half mile into the estate Karen cried out in surprise. Just off our path on the lowest limb of a huge tree stood a bluebird. "It's Dad," she said. "He's checking on us to make sure we're doing ok." We all stood amazed, laughing as not just the one, but four little bluebirds flitted around from branch to branch of the tree.

We miss you dearly, Uncle Rick, but we'll be looking for your bluebirds.