This page is dedicated to three remarkable people, all of whom are gone.
The first to die was my Dad, Bud. I was only 12 and he was only 48. His death immediately altered my life and my future. It set me on a journey to understand death, thus enhancing the meaning of life.
My stepson, Doug, died suddenly at the age of 28, as a result of Type I diabetes. His death showed me that the only way I could make meaning of his loss and the pain was to live better.
My mother died August 17, 2005. I did not understand, until I moved through this year without her, what her presence and love in my life meant. I want to share the words she spoke to me a week before she died (which is exactly a year ago as I write these words):
"Having fun, being kind, and loving are the most important things."
My beautiful mother, Ruth
Dad & Mom (Bud & Ruth) 1958
My stepson, Douglas William Simpson, 1963-1991
You exist only as a dream
You exist only as a dream now Your blue eyes are gone Yet I can look at your picture and see them You exist only in my heart now My love for you cannot be shared through conversation, a touch, a kiss Yet it is there Your love for me is something I carry with me for I know that is the one thing that cannot die
