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Autumn, Bekkah, and Joanne's Adventures
The Funeral: Joanne Crowley
Although I didn't know Ruby well, I wanted to go to the funeral for Matt as his support. I felt miserable that this poor, innocent life was so prematurely taken by such a disease.
I had an aunt die from the disease, my godmother who lived in Queens with her shi tsu Tiffy. When our family got the call, I was devastated. I felt as if God had taken a part of my life away. Aunt Theresa was always there for me, played with me as a small child, made lunch for me in the afternoon, and was always there for the holidays.
Now Ruby would join my aunt Theresa in heaven, I was sure of it. I walked with Matt to Ruby's now empty room where her family stood, tear stricken and overcome with indescribable grief. I wished there was something I could do to ease their pain, and soon, I was crying along with them and Matt.
I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness, and I am the type of person who becomes what the other person is feeling, almost as if I absorb their feelings. I hugged Matt tightly, and he sobbed into my shoulder. I kissed his cheek, and wiped his tears. "We have to be strong," I whispered. "Ruby wouldn't want to see her Neville cry."
Matt nodded, and sniffed. We gave our condolences to Ruby's family, and told them we would come to the funeral, which was the next day.
"Thank you, Matthew Lewis," said Ruby's mother. "I know you are upset for not being able to meet her, but I do want to commend you on your kindness."
"I would like to make a £1000 donation in Ruby's name," said Matt. "Please accept this, I feel guilty enough for not seeing her before she left us."
"You are too kind," sobbed Ruby's mother. She gave him a huge hug. "Thank you so much. I know Ruby is smiling down on us all, and is grateful for everything you are doing for her."
_______________________________________________________________________
I wore my black lace dress, and black heels to the funeral. I kissed Ruby's parents and her siblings on the cheek, and donated £10 in Ruby's name. I handed the money to Ruby's mother, who gave me a warm hug. "Hun, you did not know my daughter," she said as she kissed my cheek. "But I am sure you two would have been great friends. Thank you for your kindness. Would you be so kind as to sing for the mass?"
"I'd love to do so," I said, having some background with choir singing, and being forced to go to church against my will.
I was lead up to the podium, and adjusted the microphone. Matt looked up at me with curiosity, and I smiled a small smile at him. The music director asked me if I was comfortable singing On Eagles Wings, and I said I could sing it with no problem. It was in my range, and I would have no problem hitting the notes.
I cleared my throat and spoke into the microphone, "Please join me in singing On Eagles Wings in memory of Ruby..."
"You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in His shadow for life, say to the Lord, "My Refuge, my Rock in whom I trust." And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. The snare of the fowler will never capture you, and famine will bring you no fear; under His wings your refuge, His faithfulness your shield. And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. You need not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come. And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. For to His angels He's given a command, to guard you in all of your ways, upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. And hold you in the palm of His Hand."
I stood there, crying and trembling over this poor girl's death. I thought of how badly I cried at my grandmother's funeral when they played this song, and began to cry harder. Matt had to walk over to me, and guide me back to my seat. My legs were like jelly, my eyes full of tears that the people in the church were a gigantic blur of faces. I took out a tissue and blew my nose and wiped my tears. "I'm sorry, it just brought back a lot of memories... I didn't mean to impose upon their grieving."
"You sang like an angel," said Matt. "Even though you brought everyone in the church including the reverand to tears, it's okay. Our tears will heal in time. We will never forget Ruby, I know I won't. She'll always be in my prayers and in my heart."
I kissed Matt on the cheek, and filed out of the church to the graveyard. I watched as her coffin was laid in the earth, and I began to sob. This was too depressing, too final, too real for me. I hated death, hated it with a vengeance. Why, I wondered to myself, were such good innocent people taken from us? Why did this poor girl have to die?
"Matt, I want to go back to my hotel room," I said quietly. "I just want to be left alone and go to bed."
"I understand," he said gently as he kissed my forehead. "I'll take you back then..."
I had an aunt die from the disease, my godmother who lived in Queens with her shi tsu Tiffy. When our family got the call, I was devastated. I felt as if God had taken a part of my life away. Aunt Theresa was always there for me, played with me as a small child, made lunch for me in the afternoon, and was always there for the holidays.
Now Ruby would join my aunt Theresa in heaven, I was sure of it. I walked with Matt to Ruby's now empty room where her family stood, tear stricken and overcome with indescribable grief. I wished there was something I could do to ease their pain, and soon, I was crying along with them and Matt.
I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness, and I am the type of person who becomes what the other person is feeling, almost as if I absorb their feelings. I hugged Matt tightly, and he sobbed into my shoulder. I kissed his cheek, and wiped his tears. "We have to be strong," I whispered. "Ruby wouldn't want to see her Neville cry."
Matt nodded, and sniffed. We gave our condolences to Ruby's family, and told them we would come to the funeral, which was the next day.
"Thank you, Matthew Lewis," said Ruby's mother. "I know you are upset for not being able to meet her, but I do want to commend you on your kindness."
"I would like to make a £1000 donation in Ruby's name," said Matt. "Please accept this, I feel guilty enough for not seeing her before she left us."
"You are too kind," sobbed Ruby's mother. She gave him a huge hug. "Thank you so much. I know Ruby is smiling down on us all, and is grateful for everything you are doing for her."
_______________________________________________________________________
I wore my black lace dress, and black heels to the funeral. I kissed Ruby's parents and her siblings on the cheek, and donated £10 in Ruby's name. I handed the money to Ruby's mother, who gave me a warm hug. "Hun, you did not know my daughter," she said as she kissed my cheek. "But I am sure you two would have been great friends. Thank you for your kindness. Would you be so kind as to sing for the mass?"
"I'd love to do so," I said, having some background with choir singing, and being forced to go to church against my will.
I was lead up to the podium, and adjusted the microphone. Matt looked up at me with curiosity, and I smiled a small smile at him. The music director asked me if I was comfortable singing On Eagles Wings, and I said I could sing it with no problem. It was in my range, and I would have no problem hitting the notes.
I cleared my throat and spoke into the microphone, "Please join me in singing On Eagles Wings in memory of Ruby..."
"You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in His shadow for life, say to the Lord, "My Refuge, my Rock in whom I trust." And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. The snare of the fowler will never capture you, and famine will bring you no fear; under His wings your refuge, His faithfulness your shield. And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. You need not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come. And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. For to His angels He's given a command, to guard you in all of your ways, upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand. And hold you in the palm of His Hand."
I stood there, crying and trembling over this poor girl's death. I thought of how badly I cried at my grandmother's funeral when they played this song, and began to cry harder. Matt had to walk over to me, and guide me back to my seat. My legs were like jelly, my eyes full of tears that the people in the church were a gigantic blur of faces. I took out a tissue and blew my nose and wiped my tears. "I'm sorry, it just brought back a lot of memories... I didn't mean to impose upon their grieving."
"You sang like an angel," said Matt. "Even though you brought everyone in the church including the reverand to tears, it's okay. Our tears will heal in time. We will never forget Ruby, I know I won't. She'll always be in my prayers and in my heart."
I kissed Matt on the cheek, and filed out of the church to the graveyard. I watched as her coffin was laid in the earth, and I began to sob. This was too depressing, too final, too real for me. I hated death, hated it with a vengeance. Why, I wondered to myself, were such good innocent people taken from us? Why did this poor girl have to die?
"Matt, I want to go back to my hotel room," I said quietly. "I just want to be left alone and go to bed."
"I understand," he said gently as he kissed my forehead. "I'll take you back then..."