Written 3/27/07
This morning I woke up in search of my mom, who was supposed to cut my hair if I woke up early enough. I woke up somewhere between 9-10, so I could try and have everything done before noon, and relax a bit before work at 2. Mom isn't home, no big deal. My hair can wait another day.
My stepdad calls, and its that kind of call where the person hesitates, says they don't know how to say it. I think of my greatgrandma, who is closing in on 100. Then my mind goes to my grandpa, both of them. But he tells me its my cousin. I sat there, stunned. No one could see this one coming.
Danielle... she was only 20. Going on 21 later this year. She was onyl a year and a half older than I! Here she is, gone. I still can't quite come to terms with it, I won't see her until Thursday. I still very much feel that shes out there. Its like, in a month from now we may have a family gathering, and you are still waiting for her to come. She should still be with us. But a simple medication reaction... and there goes one of the most cheerful people I have ever met.
My cousin, you would rarely see her without a smile. If she was, it was always something very bad. Danielle was always full of energy. One of my very few memories from my old house in garden city, my dad's house, even dealt with her. That was a house, where she had no family. But she was still there at times. I remember her chasing my brother.
Heck, being as close as we were in age, there are plenty of embarassing pictures of us. With the easter rabbit, in the bath tub, and other things. At family gatherings at her house, we would always end up in her room, with the rest of the kids, playing games and everything. Her grad party was like a preview for my grad party.
I remember at some point within the last year... I told her that she was my hero. She had been through a lot in high school, and continued to do a lot into college. She worked many jobs, and did many things on her own. She practically went through the end of high school alone, and into college. From the death of her father, her sister's troubles, and her mom remarrying and moving... she went through a lot. Other than the love I had for her as family, I respected her so much. A respect that is earned, and is not unconditional because of family either.
Danielle, when a person becomes deceased, people often say that they will live on through others. While that is very much true, you will live on because of so much more. Not only will we remember you forever, but we will always be waiting on you. It will never sink in that you are no longer with us. I want to ramble on and on about how I can't believe you are gone. No one expected it, and its like you should very much still be here. I don't what to say, other than that myself, and everyone who knew you, will miss you.
You meant so much to so many people.
A cousin to me, and so much more to others.
A friend, a coach, the list goes on.
We will come together soon to see you go,
but live on in all of our hearts.
My stepdad calls, and its that kind of call where the person hesitates, says they don't know how to say it. I think of my greatgrandma, who is closing in on 100. Then my mind goes to my grandpa, both of them. But he tells me its my cousin. I sat there, stunned. No one could see this one coming.
Danielle... she was only 20. Going on 21 later this year. She was onyl a year and a half older than I! Here she is, gone. I still can't quite come to terms with it, I won't see her until Thursday. I still very much feel that shes out there. Its like, in a month from now we may have a family gathering, and you are still waiting for her to come. She should still be with us. But a simple medication reaction... and there goes one of the most cheerful people I have ever met.
My cousin, you would rarely see her without a smile. If she was, it was always something very bad. Danielle was always full of energy. One of my very few memories from my old house in garden city, my dad's house, even dealt with her. That was a house, where she had no family. But she was still there at times. I remember her chasing my brother.
Heck, being as close as we were in age, there are plenty of embarassing pictures of us. With the easter rabbit, in the bath tub, and other things. At family gatherings at her house, we would always end up in her room, with the rest of the kids, playing games and everything. Her grad party was like a preview for my grad party.
I remember at some point within the last year... I told her that she was my hero. She had been through a lot in high school, and continued to do a lot into college. She worked many jobs, and did many things on her own. She practically went through the end of high school alone, and into college. From the death of her father, her sister's troubles, and her mom remarrying and moving... she went through a lot. Other than the love I had for her as family, I respected her so much. A respect that is earned, and is not unconditional because of family either.
Danielle, when a person becomes deceased, people often say that they will live on through others. While that is very much true, you will live on because of so much more. Not only will we remember you forever, but we will always be waiting on you. It will never sink in that you are no longer with us. I want to ramble on and on about how I can't believe you are gone. No one expected it, and its like you should very much still be here. I don't what to say, other than that myself, and everyone who knew you, will miss you.
You meant so much to so many people.
A cousin to me, and so much more to others.
A friend, a coach, the list goes on.
We will come together soon to see you go,
but live on in all of our hearts.