MY THOUGHTS TO TYLER'S FAMILY

A child is born to live a life,

In a world of love and not of strife.

He lives, he loves, he laughs and plays,

He learns about life in so many ways.

He is taught the difference between right and wrong,

He quickly learns not to “go along with the throng”.

He learns the importance of character you see,

And the importance of keeping his integrity.

While we all make choices in our journey of life,

Some turn up good and some are with strife.

We cannot turn backward, but forward must go,

We quickly learn the line we must tow.

This life has been shortened too soon, we would say,

He was in his prime and making his way.

He had learned all the basics and was well into life,

But his time was involved in a battle of strife.

He was a man’s man, he was fighting a war,

His life was given so that freedom would soar.

He knew his life would be in jeopardy,

But danger outweighed the love for his country.

He had served his term and was to be soon homeward bound,

When his Blackhawk was suddenly hurled down to the ground.

Nothing could halt this slow terror in the sky,

It was at this point he knew he would die.

He accepts himself as the man he has become,

From the grateful upbringing he received from his home.

He thinks on his life and the people he loves,

His life is now hanging on the wings of a dove.

He wishes for them that they not worry so,

He prays they understand it was his time to go.

He loved his family and his sisters all,

And his mom and his dad who were always “on call”.

As he lingers in thought for what seems an eternity,

He thinks of these words to say to his family:

The Lord giveth and He taketh away,
but why me, I am sure you would say.

We know not why, nor rhyme nor reason,
but everyone on earth does have their season.

When it comes to the “winter” of a person’s life,
even only with a few years of love,

Life seems to lend an unfair strife,
when a soul starts their journey above.

It is at this time, we search our minds,
to make sure we did all that we could,

To you, it will be such a difficult time,
to even think straight as you should.

Although you cannot be with me any more,
your heart has a large corner inside,

For all those great memories which you want to store,
from when life with me did abide.

All of you, please remember, we each have our time,
and no one knows when that will end,

You just have to honor, trust, love and be kind,
keeping all my great memories within.

I have not traveled that far away,
I live just inside all of your hearts,

So don’t fret for me on this very sad day,
please take this in stride and go on with life’s way.

I love all of you from the very depths of my soul,
 but you must understand this was my time to go.

Just remember my love for you all of these years,
but most of all, wipe away all those tears.

Now just one more thing to all of you here,
your life must go on through the rest of your years,

Don’t let my parting get out in your way,
for my time has ended and that is God’s way.

Written on the Passing of

Tyler in August of 2007

A Man of Men Who Gave His Life

That we Might Live Free

©2007