~ The Giving Tree ~

 When I think of the Giving Tree...I think of my Grandfather. In his magnificent garden, there was a beautiful, tall, strong and "giving" avocado tree. It would produce perfectly delicious fruit - in abundance - a wonderful harvest for all the family. What a treasure. What a gift.

Growing up, we would climb this monsterous & beautiful avocado tree, playing around it's enormeous trunk and towering branches...fallen leaves to kick through and step on, in play ...
Over the many years, or rather decades, the strong tree continued to give - Oh, the wonderful and loving memories...almost every Sunday, after Mass, we would stop at the cemetery to visit and sometimes bring flowers to my maternal grandparents, and then off to visit my paternal grandparents...spending the afternoon playing in the garden that housed the big giving tree.

At 106 yrs, 8 mos, my grandfather passed into eternal rest. He was stong and giving to the end.
Four priests, a deacon, family from four states and many friends attended the Rosary, Vigil, Funeral Mass and Burial. He is survived by his six children, 21 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and 14 great-great grandchildren - his fruits - Blest Are They.

In Loving Memory...

"My life is in your hands, Lord.
In your hands is my whole existence.
One must die to live,
In trust, I place my whole self into your hands.
If the grain of wheat does not die,
it will only remain a grain of wheat,
But if it dies, it will give generously
A new fruit that will not die.
One must die to live,
In trust, I place my whole self into your hands."

~ Closing Song for Vigil:  Entre Tus Manos - Ray Repp (c) 1966, 2001