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| July 2023 |
We called him Uncle Gilbert, but really he was my dad's uncle; our great-uncle. A scientist (geologist), he would probably have a very thought-through yet discreet and compassionate opinion on the nature vs nature debate, but if there's a story-telling gene that runs through the Kelling family, then he had it. I think my dad did too. And if you believe they are together now, as I do, it will be a long time before God himself gets a word in edgeways.
We called him Uncle Gilbert, but actually he was more like a grandpa - certainly the closest relationship with a grandfather figure that I have certainly had. When I looked at him, I saw my granny - his sister, my dad, sometimes even my siblings. What I experienced with him was nothing short of family. He took on the fun grandpa jobs of rerouting stories of his generation and those who came before, welcoming us each time to The Firs with sticky buns and juice. But he also took on the hard jobs, such as officiating at the committal service for my dad. At that service he said something that has stayed with me since. He said "What is mortal remains, but what is immortal lives on". That is true for my dad, and it's true for Uncle Gilbert. A person's life is spiritual and eternal: peace, love, joy, beauty, happiness, wisdom, goodwill, understanding...these are qualities that never grow old or die. Uncle Gilbert's life proved that you only really grow old when you lose interest in life, cease searching for answers or stop joining your now-middle-aged-PhD students for their meet-ups. He enjoyed a long life and endured a short illness. It is our faith that we shall be reunited again.
We called him Uncle Gilbert, but he had many names. Professor Emeritus, husband, father, brother, teacher, tenor, geologist, guide. We called him Uncle Gilbert: loved and missed.
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