Realizing Good from the very Sad

When I learned that a longtime friend, Ray and his wife, Jane, had lost their daughter, Cheri to cancer, I was saddened for them.  It is difficult to lose a parent or sibling, but that happens as we age.  It is a major deviation from “what is supposed to happen” when we lose a child or grandchild.  Ray and Jane have felt that sadness.

I didn’t know Jane and Ray’s daughter, Cheri, before her passing.  I now know that she was greatly admired for her courage, strength and positive outlook even as she underwent treatment and eventually passed on.  Cheri dealt with and adjusted to 15 years of cancer and cancer treatments to see her son Ian graduate from high school.  The messages on social media by her husband Keith and her many friends were all in tribute to Cheri and the positive impact she made in each of their lives.

The message that was the most touching and profound came from Cheri’s second cousin, Martin.  Martin is 11 years old, and his eloquence is only exceeded by his understanding of the permanence of the soul and the boundlessness of love beyond the grave.  Upon Cheri’s passing, Martin was inspired to write the following poem:

Cheri’s Passing

Let’s talk about our Cheri dear
Who went through life without fear
Sorrow, worry, tears, and hate
If she was there, they’d all abate

Yes, Cheri was held dear by all,
But days ago, she heard the call
To go beyond pain and strife
Into a new chapter of her life
Where she can wander, far and free
And watch over you and me

But although her time her is done,
She still is loved by everyone
Yes, even though she has passed
Those cherished memories will always last

So even though we are sad,
Let’s hold onto the time we’ve had
With our dear Cheri together
And that love will last forever

And as we talk about that love,
Dear Cheri smiles from above.

© Copywrite 2018
Martin Drews

Time alone does not heal the grief that we feel for a loss so great as the passing of a loved one.  It is by holding gratitude for the time we had together, and the great examples that the departed gave us that we can move ahead.  We ask for a blessing to you and a reminder that our souls do meet again.