Rest In Peace

I didn't want to ever have to write this entry. Or an entry that follows this thread, ever. There have been a few people that have passed away since I moved here last year, but this one is the closest. A man who was like my grandfather passed away in the states on Monday, October 19. I found out on my Tuesday morning, and I spent the entire morning in tears. I even missed some school, and that is something I NEVER do. It makes it really hard, because while I'm here, I have no-one around me who knows him. I can't talk about him and have people know what I'm saying. I can't talk about how excited I was to see him this summer, and how he and his wife were the first people I went looking for during fellowship after early service. People don't know how much the e-mails of simple pictures of his yard meant to me. Just getting a simple e-mail from him would make my day. He always supported me. He and his wife were my secret saints when I went away to college. In the first package I received from home, they had included a Christmas gift from me. A necklace, that gets worn quite a bit, A salt and pepper shaker that are always out (even though they are snowmen!), and a bear that rests on my dresser. Even as I write this, I'm crying. And I know what I feel is NOTHING compared to what his family and friends are feeling at home. I pray for them in every moment I have. I wish I could be there. But I can't. I'm here, and I have a job to do.

And the night before I got this news, I got some other great news. News that is dappened a bit by this, but news that means a lot. I can't wait until I get to tell you!

My days are running together, and I'm just trying to do each bit as it comes. I miss my family at times likes this.

Today, Pastor and I had a good talk. I stopped by to see him before I had a meeting with the VP. And it was really, really good. He's pretty awesome. I'm so glad there are good people here. I would go insane if they weren't here.

I'm going to go and go to bed, but I wanted to include this poem that I first heard at my grandmother's funeral in 2004. As I read it, it brings back memories of everyone I've lost, but especially, in this moment, of Sky. It fits his life like a glove. And I miss him terribly.

http://www.appleseeds.org/tomorrow.htm