September 11th

We all remember this day. We all remember where we were when we heard about the Towers. We all remember how it felt to be invaded and to hear of all the lives lost, and those families who now had to bury their loved ones. Some never even got to do that. I remember it. As sad as I feel thinking about what happened that day what is really on my mind is not Sept 11 2001 but Sept 11 2005. You see, that was the Sunday we decided to go with my parents to the park on gross road. I was on the actual playground being silly with my Brianna when my mom walked up to me looking white as a ghost. Now to this day I still feel guilty about this, but my first thought was that something had happened to Keira. I yelled at her, "Whats wrong mom?! Keira...", "No, Keira is fine". Sweet relief. "Pip has committed suicide". If you have never been through this you can not begin to imagine what kind of hit that is. At that moment though all I can remember thinking is Thank God its not Keira. Is that selfish or what? Pip is Karl's dad. He was a wonderfully strange man. He invoked motherly feelings. You just wanted to pat him on the head and take care of him. He was emotional. He loved Karl. Idolized him even. It was very hard for both of them any time we had to say goodbye. Which brings me to the next thing, now logically Karl knows that he should not blame himself for this, but he always makes a phone call on Sunday to his family. That Sunday he decided to wait until after lunch to make it. He never got the chance. I remember him asking me in tears why his dad didnt give him the chance to say goodbye. I cant rationalize it. I mean really there is no explination that makes sense when someone takes their own life. He really had alot to live for. He had family, and two beautiful grandchildren. He never even got to see Keira. I look at Luke and think, man would he have been glowing to see this precious little boy. Why would he deny himself those chances? Why would he deny them the chance to meet him? So for those with the natural curiosity of what happened this is the best description I have; both Shirley and Peep were in the house, they ate dinner and things proceded as usual. Sometime in the early evening, the times escape me, Peep comes down stairs, gives Shirley his signature thumbs up, and walks upstairs, gets his gun and shoots himself through the mouth. Shirley runs upstairs to find him. I dont know how she survived the trama of that day. She even still lives in the same house.

Now, I want to end on a happy note and I will tell you that about 2 years prior to this Peep gave a profession of faith. Of course only Christ knows his heart, but it is our belief that he is in heaven and that we will meet him there one day. What comfort in a time like this!