Sleepless in Brossard
As you can see by the time stamp of this entry, I can't sleep much. We've all had a very rough day yesterday as we said our final farewells to Gaby. I was asked to read something before the whole thing got started and though I had a very good idea of what I wanted to say for days, I could not help but rewrite my speech on a daily basis. I ended up being very emotional just before going to the podium and I was quite surprised when I managed to only break down as I reached my seat. The last two days have brought it's tole on my weakened state and people said I was quite pale as I walked up before my addressing the immense crowd. I guess my whole loss of blood thing has not been fully fixed.
I know that Gaby could be annoying sometimes just because he was TOO nice, but still, that's probably the best fault a guy could have. The amazing crowds that have turned up both on Friday and Saturday have showed the quality of his person. As my favorite philosophy teacher once said about the subject of death: "We die as we have lived". The words have always struck a cord with me, but I guess it had to wait until yesterday before I could actually experience that nugget of wisdom.
I got to see many of the friends that I've missed (and then some) since I was in the hospital. Brain and Annie brought their new daughter Camilia (quickly nicked named Mini Brain as she is a spitting image of her father) and Noize and Jue's son Mathis (quickly dubbed MiniJue... guess why). But more importantly, I was once again surrounded by my group of closest friends with whom I've managed to keep close contact with for so many years. The funeral was but one other intimate gathering where we all grew up a little together. My adulthood was buzzing you might say. I even got to notice a few wrinkles in some of their faces which I've never noticed before. Maybe it's because I did not see them for so long? Maybe it's because whenever we gather up with suits I can't help but consider the event as a stamp in our collective growing up? I can't really explain it. We've been through marriages, baptisms, very intimate holidays... yet I never noticed how "old" we seemed today. And on top of that, the emotions where flowing.
I got to learn that many of my friends not only had gray hair, but those who did not seem to have any (with only ONE exception) actually died their hair to hide the fact. We are growing old I guess :)
I know that Gaby could be annoying sometimes just because he was TOO nice, but still, that's probably the best fault a guy could have. The amazing crowds that have turned up both on Friday and Saturday have showed the quality of his person. As my favorite philosophy teacher once said about the subject of death: "We die as we have lived". The words have always struck a cord with me, but I guess it had to wait until yesterday before I could actually experience that nugget of wisdom.
I got to see many of the friends that I've missed (and then some) since I was in the hospital. Brain and Annie brought their new daughter Camilia (quickly nicked named Mini Brain as she is a spitting image of her father) and Noize and Jue's son Mathis (quickly dubbed MiniJue... guess why). But more importantly, I was once again surrounded by my group of closest friends with whom I've managed to keep close contact with for so many years. The funeral was but one other intimate gathering where we all grew up a little together. My adulthood was buzzing you might say. I even got to notice a few wrinkles in some of their faces which I've never noticed before. Maybe it's because I did not see them for so long? Maybe it's because whenever we gather up with suits I can't help but consider the event as a stamp in our collective growing up? I can't really explain it. We've been through marriages, baptisms, very intimate holidays... yet I never noticed how "old" we seemed today. And on top of that, the emotions where flowing.
I got to learn that many of my friends not only had gray hair, but those who did not seem to have any (with only ONE exception) actually died their hair to hide the fact. We are growing old I guess :)