Every so often, I go through my email address book and delete some of the email addresses. I may delete ones that I know keep coming back undeliverable or perhaps the email address of someone that I used to take classes with in graduate school to whom I don't really talk to anymore.
You get the idea.
People's email addresses change, and sometimes, your relationship with them changes.
In my last purging, I came to an email address that I had known needed to be deleted for a while now. But, I put it off.
Instead, every time I scrolled through my email address book when sending out emails to several people, I was met with this particular email address.
I have to admit -- I have never had to delete an email address because someone had passed away. But, when you have people like your grandparents in your email address book, it is bound to happen.
Still, here it is -- almost October, and Eric's Grandma passed away in April. Here's the funny thing, I still thought about leaving it in my address book. I just didn't want to delete it.
Even when there were family problems, and I was pretty sure that maybe nobody in Eric's family liked me, his Grandma was always so nice to me. She always looked genuinely happy to see me, especially at times when I had perhaps avoided being seen. It was those times when I was extra nervous inside, and she always made me feel a little more calm with her smile and warmth.
Sure, her having my email address meant that I sometimes got a lot of forwarded emails. That's what older people do when they have email, right? But, now, I would take an inbox full of forwards that I had read a hundred times before if I had the opportunity to tell her how much I had appreciated her kindness over the 16 years I knew her. I'll just have to hope that she knew that I really loved her like a Grandma.
So, I sat in silence for a moment. I highlighted her email address. I took a deep breath. I closed my eyes. I hit delete.
In the end, I knew that I had to delete her email address, but I just couldn't watch it happen.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Deleting Email Addresses
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emotions,
family,
mortality,
reflection
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8 comments:
Angie, she knew.
Someday I'm going to have to do the same with my grandma. I really try not to think about it.
That was a very touching post about Eric's grandma. She was a favorite of mine as well and will be missed.
If it makes you feel any better, I haven't deleted my gramma's email address and she passed away a year and a half ago. Maybe I will have to try the close my eyes method.
My step-dad, who passed away in 2001, had recorded the outgoing message on his and my mom's answering machine. She left it on there for years. Sometimes I would call her house when I knew she wasn't home just to hear his voice.
I miss that message almost as much as I miss the man.
Wow, Kris -- that comment almost made me cry!
(((HUGS)))
I cannot delete those addresses. I just keep them in my address book. i am not sure why, but I can't do it. :(
Toni
This is one reason I'm happy most of my older relatives haven't embraced technology.
Eric's grandma sounds like a wonderful woman.
My cousin passed away and I haven't been able to delete his address either. So, every time I see it go by as I pass it up I say a prayer for his soul. It keeps me from forgeting him. Just can't delete the address yet and he's been gone 2 years.
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