I’ve been thinking about my cousins a lot since I got back from Chicago. One in particular, Eric, has been on my mind the most. He’s the second-oldest of us five, and my late Aunt Jane’s son. He is one of the most affectionate boys I know, and he took his mom’s passing really hard. Definitely a mama’s boy, but when you have a mom as wonderful as Jane was, it’s hard not to be. He’s just so full of emotion, and I don’t know when or if he’ll start feeling better and living a happier life for himself. I’m not sure if I’d ever be able to pick a favorite cousin, but Eric is definitely up there. Whenever we’re together, we just cuddle up on the couch together and watch movies and talk about everything in the world, and we definitely clung to each other during the shiva weekend.
When Eric celebrated his Bar Mitzvah, everyone who attended was honored by having a tree in Israel planted in their name. So somewhere in the holy land, I have a tree because of him. I want to plant him a forest, I want him to grow into something tall and sturdy and healthy.
