We pick and choose what parts of our lives make it to this blog as it is a online journal of our lives and even if we choose to delete entries they may forever live on as some cached internet footprint of our lives. Its what we want to remember and what we want you all to know about us that we share. In choosing what we want to remember we tend to choose the happy moments of our lives as that is what we want to remember.
Unfortunately there are some events in our lives that are not happy and by sharing our lives with you on this blog we must also share those moments as they have shaped our lives and will not be forgotten.
Tuesday morning we learned that Matt's Uncle, Mark Hunter Williams, passed away Monday evening. He was only 54, a father, a brother, a son, an uncle, and a friend. We all miss him and feel that in sharing our lives with you we must share our love for Mark and sense of loss.
I am handing over the reigns for the rest of this post to Matt as he is best fit to speak of his Uncle Mark.
-Katie
I think we all know I am not very good at this kind of thing, but I would like to commend my mother, grandmother, and cousin on how well they have handled this unexpected and tragic loss.
My dear grandmother has now had to bury two husbands and her only son. She is a very strong woman to be able to go through all this and still be the loving, compassionate person that she is. I love her dearly and hope she knows how much she means to our family. I could not agree with her more when she said that she wasn't supposed to bury her son; words cannot describe how difficult that must have been.
I was able to witness this week just how strong of a woman my own mother is as well. She rose above the shock and emotions of losing her only brother to pull everyone together and bring calm to a chaotic situation. I could not imagine having to do some of things that she has this week, and certainly not as well as she has. From comforting the many others grieving over Mark's death, securing and cleaning out his house, making funeral arrangements, and what was probably one of the most difficult tasks; choosing the last set of clothes her dear brother will ever wear.
The love between a father and son is something that could never be put into words; because of this, I certainly cannot begin to imagine the heartbreak that my cousin Tyler is feeling right now. Over the past year, I have learned that there can never be a love greater than the love a parent has for their children. I know Mark loved Tyler more than anything in the world and this will never change. Tyler has grown into a wonderful young man and I hope he knows that he has a large family and many friends on which he can lean during this difficult time.
There are always regrets when something like this happens, but I think we should be thankful for the time that we were able to spend with Mark while he was here. Personally, I am thankful that he and Randal Jean were able to meet last Easter; her picture was on his refrigerator when we were at his house this week.
In conclusion I will leave you with the full version of the poem that was read at Uncle Mark's funeral this week, the same one that was read at the burial of my Grandfather, and a picture of them both.
-Matt
Crossing the Bar
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For though from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.
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