A gift from Suzanne.

This picture is one of me with my cousins, Frank and Suzanne Fox, taken a year and a half ago at the Fox family reunion. Suzanne is a year older than me and Frank is a year older than her. We grew up the closest of all my cousins because we were so close in age. Then when we went to college Suzanne and I were room mates. I love them both so very much! Their mom and dad were very special to me, too. Their mom was the last of all our aunts and uncles to survive, but she passed away last May. At the service honoring her life a version of the following poem was read. Suzanne sent a copy of it to me this week. I found the original version online and will post it here. I read everything like this that I can and maybe some of it will sink in, eventually. I love the sentiments it expresses and my goal is to do what it says. I sure thank God for Aunt Alice and Uncle Fay in my life; they were absolutely wonderful as far back as I can remember. I thank God, too for Suzanne and Frank; they were nearly like siblings, but we just never had enough time together! If we had we probably would have been exactly like siblings and fought, but we always treasured every moment we could share! Suzanne, thanks for sharing this poem.

Remember Me

Do not shed tears when I have gone
but smile instead because I have lived.

Do not shut your eyes and pray to God that I’ll come back
but open your eyes and see all that I have left behind.

I know your heart will be empty because you cannot see me
but still I want you to be full of the love we shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live only for yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of what happened
between us yesterday.

You can remember me and grieve that I have gone
or you can cherish my memory and let it live on.

You can cry and lose yourself become distraught
and turn your back on the world
or you can do what I want - smile, wipe away the tears,
learn to love again and go on.

~ David Harkins~