Love Lives Forever.

I'm certain that one of the absolute hardest things for people to do is to bury a loved one, even when we know deep down inside that it's a fate that we all must face.
I watched today as my friend and co-worker Kim faced that inevitable and daunting task; she buried her Husband Steve.
When I was around 7 years old my maternal Grandfather passed away, leaving my family, especially my Mother, devastated. At the time I didn't quite understand the full realm of death, and its finality, I just knew that my Grandpa was not coming back.
Nearly 7 - 8 years later my other Grandfather died, only this time I was fairly prepared, although admittedly it was still hard.
In 1997 my Mother passed away, and it rocked my foundation, not just because she was gone, but because I wanted her to know that I was better prepared for the whole experience. The thing that got me through it were 2 simple words: be strong...these words were spoken to me by my Uncle, and at the point when he said it to me I really wanted to smack him, because what I wanted was to lay down and die myself, but something inside of me held me back.
What I came to learn is that love lives forever, and the relevance here is that I may not be able to see them in their physical form, but I feel them constantly, I can also hear their voices guiding me along my path of life, and I feel them giving me strength...2 years later, I would really need that strength as I buried my Sister. My Uncle again spoke the words be strong. This time the reason that it helped was that I found the thing inside of me that spurred me on...it was memory, and it was love.
Today as I watched Kim go through this very moving ritual, I heard her utter to Steve "that I don't know how I'll make it without you, but I'll find a way." I was never so proud to call this woman a friend, and I was glad that I came to pay my respects.
See, even in her hour of darkness she too found that love lives forever. She will have days when the life seems drained out of her, but she will weather it because she too came to realize as I did that she still has her family... and her family of friends.
Our arms are open wide to you Kim, be strong...be strong, and remember, love lives forever.

This post is dedicated to Steve Jay Ruby, may God bless his soul, and welcome him home.
Good night brother.
May God watch over Kim and her son Dustin, and always give them strength.