Remembering my aunt, Helen Sokolowski

My aunt Helen died Monday morning. She was one of my grandparent's four daughters and was raised in Walt's Cafe, so soon to be reborn as Waterfront South Theatre. I remember back in the spring when, on one of our volunteer painting days, Helen came into the theatre for the first time through the same old doorway that for years was the entry to her father's bar. I walked her around and showed her the lobby, theatre and then went up the steps to show her the other two, new floors, then in the midst of their creation. As she came down into the lobby she looked out the two large windows, exactly the size and type that were there so long ago when she was a girl. At that time I saw that she had tears in her eyes and just kept telling me "this is great...this is so great". Cancer took her swiftly this past Monday morning, so soon before the corner's rebirth. So...now instead of watching "Last Rites" from her seat she will instead watch it with her parents from a much higher venue. Life...in all of its shifting forms always continues. Although I will miss her so badly at the opening I have a feeling that she, along with my grandparents, have already taken their seats. See you soon at 4th and Jasper.