A good aunt reading to her nieces and nephew
From May to October 2012, I wrote a series of posts about “the good aunt.” The good aunt doesn’t have children of her own, and sometimes this makes her feel isolated and different. The good aunt has nieces and nephews and other children in her life whom she absolutely adores and spoils and then happily hands back to their parents. The good aunt has a unique and beautiful life, the one that God has planned just for her.
If you’re new to the series and want to know where to start, I say start at the beginning. If you’re too unconventional to start somewhere as obvious as the beginning, then feel free to browse through the whole series. (You’ll also find some additional good aunt posts there beyond the original series.)
Whether you’re a good aunt yourself or a friend/sister/mom/niece/nephew/dad/brother to a good aunt, I’d love to hear how this series shapes your understanding of who the good aunt is and what makes her tick. And if you have a good aunt of your own, feel free to sing her praises here. Good aunts love a little recognition every now and then.
Here’s the original series listed in order to help you quickly find a particular post:
- The good aunt
- A good aunt’s influence
- The dreaded follow-up question
- The good aunt’s family
- When you need an extra set of hands … or clothes for the frog
- When being an aunt isn’t all sunshine and roses
- The best and worst thing
- Aunts (lovely and vile) in literature
- Proud aunts
- The good aunt and sticky friendships
- Celebrate Auntie’s Day this Sunday
- The rejuvenating power of play
- How do you say “good aunt”?
- Somebody’s something
- The good aunt’s legacy
- The good aunt and baby showers
- The good aunt and thank yous
- Guest post by Jerel Law: The great good aunt
- Guest post by Tracey Finck: The power of a good aunt’s pen
- Guest post by Allison Cain: Dealing with pain
- Guest post by Shannon Hale: The courage to love imperfectly
- Thanking your good aunt
- Feeling less than a good aunt
- A good aunt’s soap box
- The good aunt and sticky friendships, revisited
- Celebrating the good aunt
The Flourishing Tree 
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Karen H.
Missouri
Aunt/Great Aunt to my children
My Aunt Karen passed away and since there won’t be a memorial service or funeral, I wanted to share my memories of her.
When I was younger, Aunt Karen’s house had no bedtime. She let us throw massive wads of tinsel on her tree at Christmas and made special bunny Easter cakes. She brought me my first puppy (named “Puppy”) and without my parents’ permission. She made velvet red Christmas dresses for my sister and me and would shop all over to find whatever large stuffed animal was on our Christmas list. There were always kittens at my Aunt Karen’s house to play with. She showed up with special things to keep us busy when we had the chicken pox. She introduced me to “Shirley Temple” drinks at restaurants.
As I grew older I saw her have a great attitude with her own aunt – My Great Aunt Luella. All the residents at Luella’s Assistant Living place knew Aunt Karen – they happily greeted her as she arrived. She’d stay with my sister after Christmas, and all my sister’s friends knew her – she made them all multiple lasagnas and cheesecakes for parties and made appearances at the parties themselves. One time my sister even got her to go out to a bar late at night, and they met up with Willie Nelson and he ended up giving Aunt Karen a kiss! When my second child was almost born, she moved into our new house and helped me unpack for a month before he was born. She showered my children with love – from little things like meeting us at Shakespeare’s pizza with a roll of quarters for each of them to play the games to making their birthday cakes. Most of the loud or large plastic toys in our house are from her. Our last gift she bought on-line while not even being able to leave her bed – a movie popcorn maker loved by the boys and their friends. Even our dog Rooster was loved by her – she took care of him whenever she could, and every pet I know loved her (and had the big stomach to show for it!)
She loved to shop (or really to find the bargains), she loved the Cubs, she loved Budweiser, she loved to watch TV (Price is Right) and she loved to cook and bake. Most of all, she loved people. There are so many things about her that I would like to carry on (including her cheesecake!), but other traits are the fun she had in life, the fun she gave to others and the giving spirit that exuded from her. She did things that weren’t always practical (she actually bought those huge frosted cookies at Hyvee for Owen and Ben that I would never consider buying or drive across town to give me coupons or People magazines that she had read!), but also things that made life just a little more exciting. Her Easter table cloth is on my table right now because one time I said I liked it, and she handed it over to me and said, “It’s yours.” She would pretty much do anything for anybody.
Although there is a huge hole in my heart of sadness right now of knowing how much I’m going to miss her, there is also a place full of wonderful memories that I never want to forget. Aunt Karen, you’re a hard act to follow – there’s no one else like you – and you will be missed.
Karen H.
Missouri
My Aunt/Great Aunt to my kids
Jennifer — what a lovely and loving tribute to your aunt Karen. You’ve given us a picture of an amazing woman. As you grieve her loss, I hope these warm memories will sustain you and bring you peace. Carry on the cheesecake and other gifts as you live out her example with the children in your life.
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