Rest in Peace . . .

I was looking through tha paper yesterday. I had found out that my aunt's mother had died so I thought I would take a look at the obituaries. I was shocked to find a picture of an old friend there. I hadn't seen this friend or his wife whom I was fairly close to in about 10 years. However, discovering information such as this takes you back to earlier times. I can rememebr the places we used to hang out and remember their voices. It's funny how your brain works. My memories always include sounds and smells. I can be taken back to old times by a song, and I can actually remember sights, smells and sounds.

My friend Terry was a husband to Rosie, a father to Jasmine and Zoe, a musician and a member of the local pipe fitter union. Terri was an ambitious and out-going person full of life and zeal. He will be missed by many.

I called another old friend last night that I knew had contact with the family currently. She said that many people had surounded Rosie and the girls since the news of Terry's death. I was grateful to hear that they were being cared for during this difficult time. We made a plan to attend the viewing together with her husband who was a close friend of Terry's. I am prepared to stand in line for a long time in order to pay my respects. I know that Terry was greatly loved because he always showed others that he truly cared about them.

I struggle to mention that Terry took his own life. I can only hope that through this tragic event that others will come to share their own demons. That they will see the futility in that choice and learn to lean on those around them. I know there will be hundreds of people at his funeral that Terry had touched and consider themselves better for having terry in their life. If he could've only felt that he could trust ONE of them with his troubles maybe he would've still been here today. Maybe other's struggling in the same situation will learn from this tragic outcome. . . that is my prayer.

Rest in Peace Terry.