I remember February 11th as if it was yesterday...
At work for what I thought would be a normal day,
Instead everything changed early that morning.
I spoke to Devin the night before..
I actually hung up on him because he was making fun of me,
and he wanted to eat Mom's meatloaf .
We were planning the next after school conditioning session.
Not much time was left before the season would start.
He would always say.. "got your back"
He was so excited to be on the sidelines.
I was so excited to have stolen him from the guys.
He had made an immediate impact on the girls...
We needed him.
I still have the voice mail he sent me,
saying he would accept the job!
His excitement was obvious...
I instantly thought of the girls,
some mourners for the first time.
I thought of how I could wrap my arms around them all,
and let them know we will travel this journey together.
We met, we talked, we shared, we cried.
We came together.
I held it together, tried to stay strong,
knowing I had to be a pillar for them to lean on.
(little did I know how they would soon return the favor)
I remember thinking how hard this could possibly be,
on his parents, his siblings, his family.
A young life taken so soon,
A life with so much still to give.
I remember going to the house...
Not knowing what to say.
Not knowing how to act.
Wanting to take away the pain,
Yet, knowing I couldn't.
It was almost as if God was preparing me...
for what was to come-
We played BIG in 2013.
We played for Devin.
I tried to do what we planned...
(minus the sitting on the chair, eating chips, and playing leap frog
I never really agreed to that... did I?)
Miss you BIG!
I know your up there with Gene laughing as I stress at lacrosse season starting.
Cheering us on as we head into 2014 (plus two angels watching over us)!
Monday, February 10, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Words
Words are funny. They can comfort. They can hurt. They can mislead.
Words are not one dimensional.
They have many meanings.
When Gene died, I heard a lot of words.
Some I have forgotten.
Some I try to forget.
Some are stored away in texts, emails, cards.
Some comfort and some hurt.
Some are difficult to hear and some are difficult to answer.
Some are broken.
I was recently reminded by someone else grieving a great loss,
that words can be cheap. How true.
Then there are words hard to find...
When people say "how are you doing?"
I don't know how to answer.
I am sad, very sad. I am overwhelmed, I am angry.. (Yes, even today)
So most of the time I just simply say " I am okay."
I know its as hard for those asking as they are not sure what to say.
I don't want them to stop asking,
I just don't always know how to answer.
If I explain how I really am, will they be sorry they asked?
If I say I am okay, do they think I am lying or avoiding...
I just don't know how to answer it.
And words uncomfortable to some...
The other day, someone brought up my brother
and quickly followed it by saying "I am so sorry I brought it up"
The words "Gene", "your brother"
those are words I want to hear.
It helps me to know he has not been forgotten,
that he is not out of sight, out of mind
I want to talk about him...
I want to tell stories
To share words about him
I do it ever- time Noa and I are going through her daily naming of family members.
I always add "Uncle Gene" .. (she is getting better at saying Gene)
and then there are words that are yet to come...
I hope that when she asks about Uncle Gene one day, that I find the right words
Gene and Noa (Hanukkah 2012)
Words are not one dimensional.
They have many meanings.
When Gene died, I heard a lot of words.
Some I have forgotten.
Some I try to forget.
Some are stored away in texts, emails, cards.
Some comfort and some hurt.
Some are difficult to hear and some are difficult to answer.
Some are broken.
I was recently reminded by someone else grieving a great loss,
that words can be cheap. How true.
Then there are words hard to find...
When people say "how are you doing?"
I don't know how to answer.
I am sad, very sad. I am overwhelmed, I am angry.. (Yes, even today)
So most of the time I just simply say " I am okay."
I know its as hard for those asking as they are not sure what to say.
I don't want them to stop asking,
I just don't always know how to answer.
If I explain how I really am, will they be sorry they asked?
If I say I am okay, do they think I am lying or avoiding...
I just don't know how to answer it.
And words uncomfortable to some...
The other day, someone brought up my brother
and quickly followed it by saying "I am so sorry I brought it up"
The words "Gene", "your brother"
those are words I want to hear.
It helps me to know he has not been forgotten,
that he is not out of sight, out of mind
I want to talk about him...
I want to tell stories
To share words about him
I do it ever- time Noa and I are going through her daily naming of family members.
I always add "Uncle Gene" .. (she is getting better at saying Gene)
and then there are words that are yet to come...
I hope that when she asks about Uncle Gene one day, that I find the right words
Gene and Noa (Hanukkah 2012)
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