For Our Gentle Giant

There are 3 phases we face with our parents that are life changing and they are:

1. The first time you disappoint them and see it on their face. It's the kind of heart break you can not explain.
2. The moment they fall off the pedestal, whether your 10, 20, or 30. It's the kind of heart break you can not explain.
3. The final goodbye and having to bury them. It's the kind of heart break everyone fears.

Today, I went to my cousin's funeral. He passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on Sunday and today was the funeral. Saying goodbye to him was saying goodbye to a piece of my childhood, but the hardest part was watching my two cousins (his son and daughter) bury their father. The agony and pain they endured and have to still endure is heart wrenching.

Today's events reminded me that I will always be glad to be the person who says too much rather than not enough, because I don't want anyone to leave this earth not knowing what they meant to me. My cousin meant more to me than he will ever know, because in my autobiography that I have been working on there is an entire chapter about him, but I never told him. I should have and from now on I will.

Rest in peace, our gentle giant. We will miss your sweet voice, contagious smile, and huge hugs.