Saturday, July 27, 2019
Lou was my daughter's high school sweetheart, and first love. They've remained friends all these years. She is profoundly saddened, and can't comment here, or elsewhere in writing about what's happened... She has sent her thoughts to Lou in silence, through her heart, where he'll forever live. She sends her love to Julie...
Words are never adequate... I can't imagine how the magnitude of this loss must feel to you, his parents, his sisters, and his brother. I know you're people of deep faith, and can take some comfort in knowing Lou is with our Creator, his grandparents, and all his family, who were there to greet him as he entered eternity.
I need to acknowledge, in my own inadequate words, this life of this remarkable young man. He was considerate, and respectful; brilliant, yet ever humble. He was so creative... His sense of humor alone could have earned him a living. He also had a deep love of family, and fierce loyalty to his friends. He was the kind of friend one considers among those to be counted on one hand...the rare, true kind. The beautiful paradox of Lou's life is he was this kind of rare friend to so very many people.
He embodied the best virtues a parent hopes to instill in their child...most prominently, kindness, decency, honor, and finally...extreme courage. His parents must be very proud. They were given this beautiful soul to guide through life, and helped him to become such a fine young man.
I thank the Creator for allowing Lou and my Mary to cross paths. He brought her a good deal of laughter, happiness, and true friendship.
My heart goes out, especially, to his mother, Jill. My own son turns 41 today. He considers Lou a friend as well, and wanted me to express his sympathies to the family. From one mother to another, I pray you find peace in time... Lou is still with you. You will still be able to speak with him. If you can quiet your mind and listen with your heart...you'll hear him, and often. You must know that he doesn't want you to live in sorrow. He's no longer subject to life's sorrows. He takes with him only the joys it brought him, among them having you as a mother. He leaves us all with a legacy of love, and joy for having known him.
Grief unfolds at its own pace, in different ways unique to each of us. Yet we share one aspect of it in common...the pain it brings will lessen with time. These separations are hard only on those of us left behind. And, they are temporary,
Time is an ocean only the living are subjected to crossing. We travel over it, from one shore to the other...the distance to our destiny diminishing moment by moment, until one day, we find ourselves on that other shore, embraced by our loved ones...never to be separated again.
I pray the loving memories Lou gave you, his precious family, sustain you until you see him again.
Lou, your reward in glory is well deserved. I love you like another son. You gave life to Shakespeare's words, "This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
To quote him further, "Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. "