What I Learned from my Aunt
July 24, 2023 marks the 10-year anniversary of the passing of my Aunt Dawn. To know Dawn Finn is to love her. Anyone who had the honor of having a relationship with her was blessed by her presence. I want to share more about the impact she had on my life and the lives of so many people. I have the fondest memories growing up around Aunt Dawn, going to her house for sleepovers (and crying in the middle of the night that I wanted to go home LOL) and sitting in her hairdresser’s chair in her basement on many occasions. She did my hair, waxed my eyebrows for the first time, and did a few updos for events growing up. Her chair was a safe place for so many people. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as non-judgmental, loving, and fun as Aunt Dawn. Ever. She made every single person who walked into her home feel welcome and loved. Even 10 years later, it’s still hard to sit in any other hairdresser’s chair, because it will never be the same as Aunt Dawn’s chair. Anyone who got to have that experience with her knows what that void feels like.
I learned a lot from Aunt Dawn. She absolutely lived the fullest life - at every family function she was singing, laughing, smiling, talking to everyone, and always the life of the party. She wasn’t afraid of the hard stuff, she was someone who leaned into all that life had to offer - the good, the bad, and the ugly. She wasn’t afraid of the hard conversations but always found a way to make people smile. She cared deeply about her family and friends - she was someone who was always present to the people around her. The life she lived had a profound impact on everyone around her.
In a lot of ways, I feel like she was the glue that held our family together - always a bright light at every holiday and gathering we had. Her presence is deeply missed in our family, but her legacy absolutely lives on. I think about her often and keep close to my heart the way that she lived. I know that the loss of our aunt (and a wife, a mom, a grandma, a sister, a daughter, and an amazing friend to so many) has impacted so many lives. I know from my own journey with grief that the pain never goes away, but you find a way to go on and let it shape you. The impact of losing someone you love never gets easier, you just learn how to adapt. There are many days when I find myself feeling her presence or thinking about the way she chose to live. On this anniversary, I’m thinking about her with so many fond memories and thinking about her life that was lived to the absolute fullest. I try to keep that spirit alive too.
Remembering that day never gets any easier. We’ll keep missing you, forever, Dawn Finn. Thank you for your never-ending love from Heaven ❤️
