I'm sitting here feeling tears stinging my eyes, a little numb. Last night the world lost a wonderful man, and a small group of buddies lost a dear friend. Our loss though, is heaven's gain, and I know the angels are rejoicing as they welcome D home, and knowing he is pain free and meeting Jesus face to face, makes the hurt just a little less, and puts a shaky smile on my face.
Never having had the pleasure of meeting D face to face, I nevertheless felt that I knew him as much as if I had actually met him. He put his beliefs out there without apology, leaving his thoughts and his views up for criticism from the negative and nasty ideology he was fighting against, and standing up for what he knew was right and good 24 hours a day, no matter what battles he was fighting in his personal life. D was a hero, and served this country he loved so much proudly and with a dedication that flowed as deeply as the blood that ran in his veins. He stood up for the rights of those who are unable to stand up for themselves - the unborn, the weak and the helpless. A patriot to the core, full of insight and wisdom, dedicated to the truth always.
I will never forget the first time I saw some of your online posts. I was too intimidated to post a response, but read your words out loud to my husband on Saturday mornings as we sipped our coffee and caught up on the news. We would laugh together as we read the vapid responses from the masses of uninformed nutballs, and eagerly await your verbal slapdown to each of them. One day I was brave and posted something, and you . . . along with the wonderful people who were regularly with you . . . welcomed me into your midst with open arms and hearts. Never will I forget the eagerness you awaited your beloved car to arrive, and the updates on her travels that you so lovingly gave to each of us. Your happiness when you were able to meet SP face to face, and your happiness at being able to cuddle her precious baby, was infectious and made everyone who knows you happy just to read about and made us all wish we could have seen it for ourselves! Heck, your patience with us all when we forgot to take you out of a loop of conversation that got rather personal on female subjects was enough to brand you as a saint on earth! I blush sometimes as I recall some of what you had to endure from us! Ah, now all of those will be sweet memories that we can all laugh about as the pain begins to diminish and our happiness at your healing and your homecoming grow.
You will be missed my friend, deeply and forever while we still walk this earth, but the knowledge that someday we will indeed meet face to face will sustain all of us who are feeling the void that you leave behind in our lives. My grief is not for you as you continue your journey with God, but for us who cannot feel the sunshine of your wisdom any longer. Your words, your friendship, your humor and your kindness will be remembered forever in our hearts. We have been blessed to have been counted as your friends.
Thank you . . . for being our friend . . .God Bless You Always.
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