And the World Spins Madly On

That is the name of one of my fave songs by The Weepies. I actually think there is a Weepies song for just about anything. (If you have never heard a Weepies song, see this post http://bloggingmollyr.blogspot.com/2010/01/dont-hit-weepies.html ). The song is about a profound loss and how the world doesn't stop even though it feels like it should. "The whole world is spinning, but I am standing still." I think everyone can identify with this feeling, whether it be through the loss of a relationship or a death.



In June of 1997, we lost my wonderful father-in-law to stomach cancer. He was in his early forties at the time and Kevin and I were fresh out of high school. Even though I only knew Andy for four years, he made a lasting impression on me. Because of him I smile bigger, I laugh harder, I sing louder, I love more and I say what needs to be said (sometimes that can be good and bad). It's been nearly thirteen years since we saw his face or heard his voice, but his memory is still clear in all of our hearts and minds. How could you forget someone like Andy?? He was kind and gentle (well, except for those sometimes too hard pokes in the ribs when something was funny) and he made everyone feel like they were special and important because to him everyone was special and important. There aren't too many people out there like that.

The day he died, it felt like our world had stopped spinning. But it didn't. And I guess that's how it's supposed to be. Because the people who leave you are never really gone. And as hard as it is to go on without them in our lives, that's just what we have to do. I like to think that we all kept the best parts of Andy with us - that maybe the people who felt the same way about him that we did will all smile bigger, laugh harder, sing louder, love more and say what they feel to the people they love. He made us all better for just having known him. Even if it was only for a little while.

Thanks for everything, Andy.