Sometimes it takes a lifeless blessed than our own
for ours
to come into perspective.
And today
I thank God
for the good life I have had.
The love I have experienced
over the years
has solidified like a warm quilt
that has enveloped me
and kept me warm
with reassurance,
hope, and happiness.
But some people only know enough love
to create a thin veil of lace-
and no matter how hard they try
it is never enough to warm them,
comfort them,
or bring them joy.
Such was Bob.
His life was a jigsaw puzzle
of broken family,
personal tragedy,
insecurities
and disappointments.
Everyone has secrets
that they keep hidden
and no one really knows
what they hold deep inside.
That's why
every life we touch-
and every stranger we meet-
should be treated with
utmost respect and concern.
And-
if we get a chance
to know them
and care for them,
we can reinforce that
thin, tattered lace
into a solid rock of love.
No matter how hard Bob tried,
he always felt as insignificant
as a drop of water in the ocean.
But the impact of his life-
and now the loss of it-
has caused a tidal wave
in our family
that drowns us in
despair and unanswered questions.
Bob, thank you for loving Erin.
I know you brought her many days of happiness.
And we like to think that-
even if it was for just a little while-
that you were happy, too.
Your warm smile
and sweet nature
will roll upon the beaches of our hearts
for the rest of our lives,
leaving little seashells of memories
to bless us forever.
(My daughter's boyfriend for
the past year and a half
took his own life on Tuesday, June 23, 2009)
