Remembering

Today is not a post about me.  Today is a post about remembering the life of my beloved cousin Daniel Eric Pemsler...Danny.  He would have been 28 years old today, almost 2 years younger then me, but in so many ways, a better human being.  He was funny and smart and so incredibly loved by everyone he met, as evidenced by his memorial service where it was standing room only.  His friends were a diverse crowd because he did not hold prejudice.  He was simply nice to everyone, it seems.  I am sad to say that I did not know him better. 

When we were children, we were inseparable during family gatherings. As we got older, though, we seemed to have less in common.  He was more of the "jock" and I was more of the "nerd" (I am not ashamed to say now).  I am ashamed to say, that I did not spend more time trying to break through the wall of shyness we built up and talk to him.  He was so quiet, except with my grandfather.  He would speak to him and best of all, would listen.  He would not say anything when my grandfather would tell the same stories to him each time they would see each other (about how football players should hire sumo-wrestlers), he would just nod his head in agreement.  These visits would make my grandfather's day. 

We were all thrilled when Danny graduated college and found a job that he liked and a girlfriend that he seemed to love.  He was even planning on bringing her down for a visit to meet the whole family...something he had never done before.  Then we got the dreaded phone call from my Uncle...a call I do not wish to relive, so I won't.

What I do wish to talk about are the dreams...Danny sometimes comes to me in my dreams, telling me that things will be alright, or that he is ok.  He is always reassuring.  During the dreams I am always happy to see him!  He seems so incredibly real, so very alive!  That is how I choose to remember him.