Wednesday, June 18, 2014

It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday



I thought we'd get to see forever
But forever's gone away
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday
--Boyz II Men

We had a candlelight vigil tonight as a way to get together with our community and begin our path to healing from the horrible event at our school one week ago.  A week of questions, anger, fear, exhaustion, and yes, sorry and tearful good-byes, it's been a tough one to say the least.


But one of our recent graduates read this poem tonight, and it spoke to me instantly.


Death is Nothing at All
by Henry Scott Holland

Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped away
into the next room.

I am I, 
and you are you;
whatever we were to each other, 
that, we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name,
speak to me in the easy way
which you always used,
put no difference in your tone,
wear no forced air
of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we shared together.
Let my name ever be
the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect, 
without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all
that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you,
for an interval, 
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.

All is well.



#RaiderStrong

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