Gary

Gary Parker, my cousin was a good man. And I know a lot of people just say that. But he really was. He had this softness about him you could see in his eyes and hear in his voice. You could just tell he genuinely cared and wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings. Oh he had his rough patches throughout his life he spent some years dancing with the devil (most of us have) but Im so happy that he got on track and enjoyed his family in his short life.

I found myself today wondering if he would have done anything different and my bet is he wouldn't. I hadn't seen him much over the last few years. I spoke to him when he was in the hospital with intestinal problems. I spoke to him about Aunt Shirley when she was very ill and before she passed on. But I hadn't really got to just visit with him and I do really regret that. I feel like I should have tried harder to see him when he was in town and I didn't! It does bother me. I did the same thing with my friend Cheryl Davis and she passed....ugh.

It really was important to me today to be with his siblings and hug his daughter. I know they are in a lot of pain. It hurt me bad to see Lisa crying today...and the tears in Wes's eyes as he hugged her. And the sadness that filled and overwhelmed my heart today when I just thought about Gary's voice not being heard anymore.

Life gets shorter everyday and I swear I have got to get closer to my people. I love them and I want to be a part of all their lives. I need to. Its a hole I have in my heart. I don't want to regret not being closer and loving them truly.

As I write I realize, we are thick. Our family has always been really close and weve lost some of that.