Irish Eyes

This has been an odd, unsettling week for me. I got a taste this week of what my life will be like when my son goes away to college. James was away at spring training in South Carolina. He had long, busy days and he kept in touch with us pretty much every day. If I went a day without speaking to him, it was a long day for me. He's 14 and experiencing a semblance of independence so I tried not to nag him too much but he is 14 so he should be calling me every day. I'm sure the highlight of his day was filling in his parents individually about his day. NOT.

One less person in the house makes such a difference. There's a void. 

I came home today, have some boys over for a sleepover, logged onto Facebook and saw a message from my brother in my inbox. Another childhood friend passed away suddenly, Eileen Sheridan. She died in her sleep. Eileen is part of the storied past of West 207th Street. She lived in my building with her mom, Kathleen, her dad, and her sisters, Sheila and Kathy. Eileen and I share a birthday month. Our birthdays are in April. I remember climbing a couple of flights up the stairs in our building to go to Eileen's birthday party which was always filled with giggling girls, candy, birthday cake and good times. I remember climbing the bleachers at Gaelic Park with the girls on many a Sunday afternoon. The Sheridans moved out of our building but stayed in the neighborhood and stayed in our lives. 

I reconnected with Eileen on Facebook just about a year ago. I know there are naysayers out there who feel Facebook is a time thief, a complete waste of energy. I would disagree. Had it not been for Facebook, I would not have shared memories with Eileen of our childhood, I wouldn't have been able to ask after her mother, I wouldn't have learned that she had a nursing career, had moved to Maine and seemed very happy with her life. She had just switched jobs and was really happy with the new position.

But today I think of her mom, Kathleen, her children, her sisters, her fiance. I lamented the void in my life for one week while my son was away. Kathleen and the rest of the family have to face that void for the rest of their lives. I mourn with them but ask everyone to remember the good place that Eileen was in her life. I don't pretend to understand the rationale of a forty six year old woman dying in her sleep. It hits too close to home for me.

I prefer to remember her beautiful Irish eyes, her contentment in life and her quest to make an Irish soda bread as good as her mother's.

Rest in peace, Eileen.

Eileen will be memorialized this Thursday, March 3rd, from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM, at Riverdale on Hudson Funeral Home, 6110 Riverdale Avenue, New York, NY 10471 (718) 884-6100. The funeral will be held Friday, March 4th, 10 AM at Good Shepherd Church, 4967 Broadway · New York, NY  10034 (212)567-1300.