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Dec 31, 2008 - 01:37 PM |
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Dammit... |
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What a way to end 2008...
Shortly after Christmas day, I got a text from one of my friends saying that another friend of mine had passed away. From what I heard of it, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and either passed away before or during surgery. I'm not sure how he passed away. I don't really feel like asking my friends either.
His funeral was today. December 31st, 2008 at 8:30 am. I've barely even been to any funerals, let alone an open casket one. I entered the building with some people I went to high school with. As we entered, you could hear the cries of his family in Chinese. I could only assume they were asking God, "Why?"
Why they took him away from everyone. He was only 19, he was my age. He had so much to live for and now he's gone. We stayed the whole time. The room continued to pile up with friends and family and tears and sorrow could be felt around the room.
It wasn't until they had a prayer for him, held by one of the employees at the funeral home, that I completely lost it. I couldn't come to grips that one of my good friends in high school was gone. He was dead. I'd never see him again, nor would I ever hear him speak again. I looked around the room. My friends who were reluctantly holding back tears earlier were now crying their eyes out. This was the sad reality we all had to face.
We emptied out of the room and the tears continued to flow down everyone's face, including my own. We were angry, confused, sad... Pretty much everything that you could've possibly felt during a funeral.
It was time to head down to graveyard where he would be laid to rest. I drove a friend of mine who actually used to date him to the funeral, we were reluctant to go at first, but when I saw that most of my friends were going as well, I decided that it would be the right thing to do to pay my final respects with everyone else.
So we took the drive over to the burial site. Throughout the ride, we had a couple of snow flurries, but ironically, the sun was shining as well. I couldn't help to think that it was some sort of sign. Maybe the clouds and snow represent our tears and sorrow, but through darkest of skies, a shining light always breaks through giving us hope and the reassurance that he'll always be there.
The sky eventually turned gray and the temperature dropped. It was just about ready to snow as the family was ready finally bury him. We all stood there. Sorrowful and cold. The breeze pierced through many of our jackets and we felt the Winter season engulf us. Maybe it was a reminder from him that we shouldn't be so numb and remind ourselves that we're still alive.
As the service ended, we were all asked to pay our final respects tossing a flower into the vault. All I could muster up to say was that "We'll miss you" and tossed the flower in.
Now one of my good friends is nothing but a memory now.
Rest in peace, Joey. You won't be forgotten.
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