The real journey begins

I have been trying to write this post for over a month now. What would I say about my brother after his death? Not a post I want to write but here goes.
We traveled to Atlanta 8/25 to help Bill and Lu Anne fight this leukemia fight. I was found to be a bone marrow match so we were planning to come to Atlanta for the months it was going to take to get him well enough for the surgery. That wasn't to be and sadly he left the planet on 9/3, surrounded by people who loved him. He is no longer suffering and I am happy for that. It was so hard to see my vibrant, strong brother reduced to a shell of a body.

Easter 1964-ish

Now a new journey begins, how do I move forward without my brother? One step at a time beginning with this post.
Bill, Billiam, Billy Bob. Born as William Monroe Rowlett III. I knew him as my big brother. As kids, I was enough of a tomboy that I wanted to follow him everywhere (You know how that arrangement usually works out!). Bill never yelled at me, or was cruel to me to get me to leave him alone, not his style. He simply found other ways to elude me. Smart boy.
He was an impish little kid and loved to tease and prank both his little sister and our oldest sister Karen. Every summer as kids we were piled into the back of the family car and were driven to Alabama, North Carolina and several times to New England and eastern Canada. I can remember one family summer vacation where he tickled me from Florida to New Hampshire. I wasn't ticklish after that. He toughened me up. I remember learning to ski with him, he'd take me up a lift and once at the top, I'd find out it was a double black diamond. I had to find a way down. He helped me learn I could get down anything. Thank you Bill.

As adults, I really saw what Bill was capable of when we started that inevitable journey of aging parents and eldercare. Bill was right there, taking on what needed done and never failing to show up. He brought himself, even when he didn't want to or didn't think he needed too. He gave me courage to do the same.
Bill was an amazing husband, father, friend, employee, and whatever else he was. Mentor. He touched many people. His good friend/brother Jim Crumbley posted this beautiful tribute to Billness on his blog, he says it way better than I can. Patient, kind, always looking to lighten things up with a joke. Very slow to anger. These are the traits of inner Billness.
At Emory Hospital, in Bill's final hours I looked around the 9 other people that were there, surrounding his bed, and felt such gratitude for how Bill lived his life and how he was deeply loved. His last breath seemed very peaceful. Now the journey begins to live from my inner Billness and be grateful for the 55 years that I was lucky enough to have him as my bro.

Bill and LuAnne in their happy place.