Sweet Benjamin. God gained another angel this year and we lost another soul on this earthly plane. I haven't seen you in years but I love you all the same. We all have struggles but I believe you and I shared some that others will never understand. That's okay, they don't have to. If you can read this, please know you did the best you could with what you had,you had a heart of gold and you were loved by many. I can't believe you were almost 50, your young spirit said otherwise. We missed you at family gatherings & I wish I could have spoken to you before you left this Earth, to tell you what I know now. There are too many good people with pain that is so misunderstood and stigmatized. I refuse to hide behind a mask anymore, especially
if it'll help another shine light onto their temporary yet debilitating pain. "You will forget what people said. You'll forget what people did. BUT you'll never forget the way they made you feel," were the wise words of Maya Angelou. You, your true self, lit the world on fire. Your spirit was contagious. You made people smile, you made people laugh, you made the world a better place by simply being in it. I hope you knew these things but in case you forgot, I'm sure God is patting you on the back at this very moment. For so many years, I thought life was about changing the world for the better. I thought it was about having my legacy remembered by many. I had it all wrong.... my purpose is the same as your purpose, your purpose the same as your brother's and your sister's: TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Afterall, God is love. If we love one another, we are being the person God created us to be. If we have plaques and awards and a six figure income, but have Resentment and hate in our hearts, we have not fulfilled God's purpose for our lives. We were created to love one another, above all else. So thank you Benjamin, for touching my life by simply being you. I understand your struggles and I feel your pain, pain you will never have to experience ever again.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see.
Life is truly beautiful if we take a minute to notice the beauty. I am lighting a candle in remembrance of your beautiful soul that reminds me to hang on tight & follow God's path but most of all to love those closest to me as if it is our last day together because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
Rest in peace, Ben.
You will never be forgotten.
