In Memoriam

Someone important to me passed away today. Granted, she was elderly and her health was going, so it wasn't entirely unexpected, but this sort of thing never feels good. Whenever anyone close to me dies, I always think of all the people in my life who have passed away. So, I have decided to dedicate this entry to those people and their memories. God be with them.

Betsy was the first person to teach me to garden. She would always serve dinner for herself, her husband, and my family. She always had food to give to us, just to share her love through tangible things. Every year, she would take me to her church for their children's program. At least once every summer, she would just show up one afternoon and take my sister and I out for ice cream. When her beloved husband, Harold, died, she gave me his puzzles because she knew I loved them. Harold passed away several years ago, but he was an amazing individual as well. Harold would do jigsaw puzzles with me, tell me stories about our hometown, and carve things out of wood. Harold could make anything. He made a baby cradle for me when dolls were my favorite toys. As much as I miss Betsy and Harold, I know that they're together now. They aren't in pain anymore, they aren't lonely anymore... now they're together with each other and God. And I thank God for the chance to know them.

Eunice died this year as well. She was a sweet, wonderful, faithful woman. She held on through tough times in her family and never gave up. She kept smiling into her nineties. Thank God for her spirit and love.

I lost two classmates from high school: Kate and Tony. Tony died my senior year in high school. He was always sweet, if a little quiet, and reminded me of Eeyore. Near the beginning of 2002, Tony committed suicide. He was a great guy, and we miss him dearly. Kate was a wonderful girl with an amazing faith. She was on the swim team when I was statistician, and I knew her from the music and drama departments. Kat was always smiling and laughing, always radiating joy from God. She was killed in a car accident in early 2004. She is sorely missed.

The first major grief in my life was the death of my grandfather. He suffered from Alzheimers, and I never really got to know him well. I feel as though I know him, though, from all the stories I have heard from my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my grandmother. I know from the stories that he was an amazingly intelligent, witty, humorous, and kind man. I'm glad that I got to meet him and know him for the brief time I did, and I am blessed to know that a little part of him is in me. I wish I could have known him better, but I rejoice that I knew him at all.

For the others who have touched my life and passed on: Mark, Darrin, Yvette, Mary, Susan, and others, I thank God for all of you. For those of you who have touched my life and those who continue to touch my life on a daily basis, thank you for everything. Never doubt how important you are or how much I love you.

Now I'm taking my sad thoughts and going to bed.