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REMEMBERING YOU
In our hearts
you'll never be gone,
for within each of us remains
a strong bond.
A bond that was created
throughout the years,
through sharing laughter
and sometimes tears.
Life goes on no matter
what takes place,
but
memories of you
will never be erased.
Cherished memories of you
are more precious than
gold,
a very special place in our hearts
you'll always hold.
Remembering you
is a daily routine,
during the
night as well,
in our dreams.
You'll never be forgotten,
that's one thing for
sure,
our love for you
will always endure.
We'll see you again
when our own lives are
through.
But, until then, we'll be here... remembering you.
Written By
Corena Neel Porter,
Sister of Jerry A. Neel, Jr.
Sadly Missed by
Your wife, Janice
Sons, Danny and Mark
Father, Jerry A. Neel, Sr.
Brother, Dave
Sisters, Darla, Corena, & Marie
and their Families
and Hundreds of Dear Friends |
As we go through life we never have
friends like we did when we were twelve. You could squabble and fight one
minute and play together the next as if nothing ever happened. I truly
miss that. Jerry and I were certainly no different. We, along with our neighborhood
gang of friends, would spend our summers playing Capture the Flag. We
would start when when sun came up and play through until it vanished again
over the horizon. I truly consider those games one of the few highlights
of those years. Jerry organized us into hosting an annual neighborhood
Backyard Carnival for Muscular Dystrophy three summers in a row. In addition to
the fun of doing it we would get an 'official' certificate stamped with
the signatures of both Jerry Lewis and local TV personality, Paul Shannon,
from WTAE Channel Four in Pittsburgh. Hey, when you're eleven that's
pretty damn cool! As we grew up, and our lives and interests changed, we
drifted apart. I had not seen Jerry in nearly 15 years when he tragically
passed away at such an early age. Despite the fact we had gone on with our
lives I never forgot him and often look back on those times with warmth
and fondness. I can only hope he did the same.
By sheer coincidence someone sent the
following to me the same day I heard of Jerry's passing. I can't help but feel Jerry had a hand in that. I present it to you
here and I dedicate it to all of us who played together on Maryland Avenue
so many years ago. Wherever you may be I hope you know I miss each of you
and that I have never forgotten those seemingly endless summer days that
now seem like a lifetime ago.
And I so wish, with all my heart, that we could play Capture the Flag just one more time...
For...
Tammy Boyce, Jenny Corley, Clara
Hamilton, Man Layman, Tammie &
Bobby Meredith, Corena & Marie Neel, David & Darla
Smallwood,
Terri Stansberry, Rhonda & Maryann Rundle...
And, of course, for Jerry. Rest in
Peace, old friend.
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
To Whom it May Concern:
I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have
decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year old
again.
I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.
I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with
rocks.
I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.
I want to play dodge ball at recess and paint with watercolors in art.
I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my
friends on a hot summer's day.
I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were
colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother
you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care. All
you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the
things that should make you worried or upset.
I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good. I
want to believe that anything is possible. Somewhere in our youth, we
matured and learned too much.
There are nuclear weapons, war, prejudice, and abused children. Lies,
unhappy marriages, illness, pain, and death. A world where companies
poison our water and our soil, and children kill.
What happened to the time when we thought that everyone would live
forever, because we didn't grasp the concept of death?
When the worst thing in the world was if someone took the jump rope from
you or picked you last for kickball.
I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited
by the little things again.
I want to return to the days when children played hide-n-seek outside
instead of being glued to a television, when video games were as harmless
as Pac Man instead of spine-ripping, blood-splattering mind numbers like
Mortal Combat, and TV still had some shows on that weren't about sex,
killing, and lies.
I remember being naive and thinking everyone was happy because I was.
Afternoons were spent climbing trees and fences and riding my bike. I
never worried about time, bills, or where I was going to find the money to
fix my car.
I used to wonder what I was going to do or be when I grew up, not worry
about what I'll do if this doesn't work out.
I want to live simple again.
I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of
paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than
there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of
loved ones.
I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth,
justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the
snow.
So....here's my checkbook and my car-keys, my credit card bills and my
401K
statements.
I am officially resigning from adulthood. And if you want to discuss this
further, you'll have to catch me first, cause, "Tag! You're it."
AUTHOR
UNKNOWN |
