Joe,
It's been 2 years today since you left us. So much has happened in these two years. Firstly, I hope you're proud of what your SAR team has done in your honor. Your sister has been doing one hell of a job keeping it alive - keeping you alive, in our hearts.
I hadn't written to you in a long while, and I apologize. I never forgot you though. You taught me to "shut up and live," and to find a reason to smile, each and every day.
In the past year, plenty has happened. I got accepted to CSUF, majoring in Criminal Justice. I'd always wondered what it would be like to go to school with you again, since we went our separate ways after high school graduation.
The SAR team helped out with Hurricane Sandy in December 2012. That was an amazing experience and I'm really glad that I got to be a part of it. I'll never forget the gratitude shown by the lovely couple at the first house that we helped to rebuild - to have a group of strangers from across the county come to help rebuild their home after such an incident... your SAR team was a blessing to them. I can still remember how happy the older lady was that I had saved a piece of the wall mural that she was working on - I didn't have the heart to take it down and fought to preserve that memory for her. It was a family tree that she was painting on the wall in the back room.
Remember back in middle school and part of high school when you were my mediator? haha Well, I did finally, truly fall in love this year. Shortly after, I also went through my first heart break. I know you'd have been there to get me through it all, just as you always had. I'm glad that when you left us though, that you were experiencing the feeling of love with your girlfriend - it's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? Every time I go to Huntington Park and see those benches... they remind me of you and your love for your girlfriend. You tried to keep it a secret, but I was told that that painting you did of those benches... that was where you told your girlfriend you loved her.
Remember our last meeting the weekend before you left us? We were talking about our futures. While I didn't go the military route nor pharmacy, I did follow my dreams of going into forensics. I'm on that career path right now, Joe, and I couldn't have been happier with that choice - I look forward to going to work each day. I wear that badge with pride and am honored that I am able to do so. I now understand what it feels like to wake up each day and look forward to doing what you love to do. I wish you could have been doing the same right now, with your graphic arts design work. Your work was just simply amazing. I can only imagine all of the neat things you'd have done by now. Your imagination, creativity, and skills are rivaled by no other.
haha I also remember planning to go out for drinks with you when you turned 21. Too bad that was 2 months after you left... It would have been nice to grab a drink with you, Joe. I still can't believe it's been 2 years since I'd last seen and talked to you. I wish I made our last meeting more memorable somehow. Then again, I wouldn't have traded that casual Saturday night out for anything - going out for boba and just sitting around, chatting with good company has always been one of my favorite things to do. So I'm glad that our final moments together was just that. And it was definitely nice to share it with ABCCDDD. I think that was the last time that the whole group was actually together.
I take your ideals to heart, buddy. I'd started a little project called, "Mooshbot Minions," in an effort to spread the love of committing random acts of kindness and paying it forward. Holy cow... what's it been, like 8 years since I went by Moosh? In late 2012, I'd also started an ongoing project, making "care bags" for the homeless that we see around town. To date, I've given away 20-some bags; close to 30, if I counted correctly. I'd lost track. Some of my friends have hopped on board with this project as well - we keep the bags in our cars and will give them when we see someone who needs it. They're filled with small necessities; water, snacks, hygiene items...
I've made some amazing friends on EDCF and USN. You were never on those forums, as far as I knew, but you did like those sort things. Maybe you were - I actually never thought about trying to look you up... you always did find out about resources further ahead than myself. I wish we could have talked gear together. I think you'd be the only one in our group of friends who would know what I was talking about. :P You always liked the most interesting things. :) I know you liked the Keyport slide - they came out with a new one recently. I think you would have loved the Kickstarter program. I'm sure you would have had some crazy ideas of your own for it too.
Joe, please continue to look after your friends, family, and SAR team. May you continue to rest in peace. We'll continue to carry out your love of life from here. 12 years of friendship, and counting. The "phyre" burns on.
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