Eight Long Years

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In some ways it's been an eternity.

On other days it seems as if it's been just a minute.

March 4, 2009.

The day we lost my brother, Jeff.

I can't even think about the month of March most of the year. It's too hard to swallow it. Even 8 years later.

I still shake my head in disbelief.

A few days ago, I received a text from Johnny.

"Hey, I'm finally reading Oh Brother!" He wrote. "I read 100 pages in study hall. It's great. I remember some of it. This must've been hard on all of you."

I almost couldn't respond.

That beautiful boy...those beautiful kids...

...lost their Dad...

...and Johnny mentioned about how much it must've hurt US!

"Your Dad was an unbelievably great guy," I finally answered. "I wrote that so you would remember. I miss your Dad every single day."

Johnny then sent me the 8-ball game that can be played via text.

He smoked me in four straight games.

"We'll play again on Friday night," he said. "And I'm coming up for Easter break."

"Send me the dates," I said. "I'll get your plane ticket."

Still shaking my head in disbelief.

And yet the love survives.

And flourishes.

The love survives.

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