In Memoriam - Losing a Loved One
This post has absolutely nothing to do with photography, art or business for that matter. I just felt compelled to write down my thoughts on my way into work this morning on the subway. You see, the past few weeks have probably been some of the toughest I have ever had to endure in my life.
Just over a week ago, I lost someone very near and dear to me. My father in law passed away last week after a long hard fought battle with cancer. Yes that horrible C word that has touched and affected most everybody’s life in one way or another. Over the past few weeks my father in law had been entrenched in a horrible battle with mortality. He was fairly sick but everything seemed to happen so damn fast and completely unexpected in terms of how quickly things progressed.
He was a great man, had a personality that lit up the entire room and when you met him, you instantly liked him. He was just one of those people with an infectious personality. When he spoke you could hear his loud booming voice all the way over on the other side of the room. Family was everything to him, the cornerstone of life and in the end that was what he held on for in those last days of his life. Frank was taken from us long before he should have been and we the surviving family members and friends are left to pick up the pieces and carry on with life. That’s the peculiar or funny thing about death, the living are affected by it far worse as they are the ones left behind to grieve and deal with the finality of it all.
Although there is a huge void in our lives which he once filled, I know he wouldn’t want any of us to hurt or mourn the way we are right now because he is not suffering any more. He would want us to carry on with our lives, go about our business but remember him for the amazing man he was while he was with us.
So Pops (as I liked to call him) as I finish writing this in your honor, I promise you I will carry on with you always and forever in my heart and mind. I can assure you with all certainty that I will take good care of your daughter Mary (my wife), your granddaughters Nicole and Julia and of course Mom (mother in law) for you. You have my word on this!
You are sadly missed Pops and there will NEVER EVER be another one like YOU! Love ALWAYS and FOREVER your friend, your son in law, your son!