Shane, Jolab, Friend, and Brother

365 days have passed another year and I remember. I celebrate life my own way but today I always remember. It was a little after six months and the man I considered father had died. My friend Shane's brother had passed and he went into the hospital with a stroke that he would never wake from. It was only two months later that I would ask my now wife to marry me and Shane had help me plan and was going to be my best man at my wedding. His loss hit me like a one ton mallet.

You see Shane lived in Canada and I had met him playing Halo2 on xbox live. Its a friendship that grew over the years. He visited me and others to go to Disney Land and Las Vegas. When he and his girlfriend broke up he soul searched finding photography which he would later on discuss with my wife. Jolab and I spent many night talking, conquering and at time losing online but life and dreams were talked about. During that time I was writing a story to be published with him in it. He gave me ideas and we talked about goals and ambitions. He talked about school, girls and work. I can remember him laughing. My last memory of my friend and brother is fond.

After so much loss I told my wife something that is true till this day. When you lose people close to you the universe changes completely. It is as if you have died and have to learn to live all over again.  I have learned to live again, still I have been changed dramatically by these events.  We all lose people and the greater the loss the greater the piece that seems missing. God is gentle and sooth the soul but the hole left will not be filled to we see out loved ones again. I miss Shane and my Dad Tony, but I know that they both watch with God in expectation cheering me on. The only thing I can do with them is live a full and wondrous life so I can share it with them when we meet again.  I leave you with these words.


Though we live, we carry them through the adventures of our lives that when we meet again we will share in the memories and celebrate being reunited.


Till next time Ponder, Dream, Grow and Imagine...