Category: Aviva Barth

Anniversaries and dates we remember

On By thestampsinmypassportIn Aviva Barth, Boater safety, Uncategorized1 Comment

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On my trip this summer I went to a lot of attractions that were filled with dates that will always be remembered. Started off in Dallas at Dealey Plaza, where those who were alive and old enough to remember, will never forget where they were on November 22, 1963. Moving on to the George W Bush Presidential library where the dates of September 11, 2001 and August 23, 2005 (Hurricane Katrina) were on full display. Then it was onto Oklahoma City where April 19, 1995 will always be etched in our memory from the events that took place there.

Anniversary – the date on which an event took place in a previous year. 

Those are dates that are a matter of public record. An indelible part of our history as a society. But what about dates in our personal life.  Just stop and think about how many dates we need to give memory to every year – every birth, first tooth, first day of school, wedding and of course death. In the social world we live in today, everything is an event, because it is shared instantly with your social network. The good, the bad and sometimes even the ugly.

Here I am again. Today is the 11th anniversary of the passing of Aviva. Just as I remember what I was doing on 9/11, I can actually remember every single thing that happened on August 7, 2004. Everything.

Just this week I was having coffee with a friend and we were discussing water safety after she was telling me some stories about her weekend beach day on Lake Simcoe, which is the same lake that took Aviva from us.

If you knew Aviva, I am sure you will take some time today to remember her.  Her larger than life personality. The way she captured a room with her stories and her infectious laugh. She had a gift and she shared it with the world around her. She was special and truly one of a kind.

Gone but never forgotten.

Miss you V,

 

 

 

as time goes by

On By thestampsinmypassportIn Aviva Barth, Boater safetyLeave a comment

About a month ago an old friend of my brother’s who lives out of town came for a visit. He surprised my parents and I at their house when we were all getting together for a family dinner. We hadn’t seen this friend for many years, and it was great to have him over, and enjoying a meal and his company like we had done so many times growing up.

At the dinner table, it was hectic as usual. The last time he sat at our dinner table we were four. We are now a family of eight, and as he looked around the table at the craziness, he commented that this felt like old times, except now my brother has a wife and three kids.

And that is exactly the way life is….the same yet different. Because here we are again – one year later, nine years later, on the anniversary of Aviva’s passing.

If you ask someone of our parents generation where they were when JFK was shot, they could tell you. When you ask someone of our generation where you were on 9/11 – we could all tell you. Life events have a way of staying with you. You will remember birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and of course loss. I think that when someone you love passes, family or friend, old or young, you will always remember the details.

I wrote about it last year and many times before.

This year I am remembering ‘time’ by looking at my family. When my brother’s friend said that our dinner table felt the same, but the fact that my brother had three kids, it really made me think. Aviva didn’t get to meet any of the kids.

I look at my oldest niece, and her dynamic personality and think of Aviva. She has a great laugh, and that was one of the amazing character traits that V had – her laugh was infectious. She had a larger than life personality and she would have loved my oldest niece.

And my middle niece – the softer, sensitive one. She would have probably had lots of fun with V as well. Creative and artsy, and a serious thinker. I could imagine that they would have lots to talk about.

And my nephew. She would have just looked at him and thought, a son for my brother. How great will that be now and moving forward. She would be right. The sparkle in his eyes always lights up the room, and she would have loved that.

Last week when I starting thinking about today, I ‘googled’ the name Aviva Barth and several links showed in the results.

There are community outreach projects in her name.
There are blogs written by people that knew her.
There are flyers and documents from the Underwater council of Ontario on boater and water safety. 

I am sure if you knew V, you are nodding your head right now in remembrance. And you are hopefully smiling at the good times you shared, and her laughter and her smile. They will never be forgotten.

I will never forget you V,

Lisa