Hero
May 15th 1969 to August 26th 2004
Often times people are lucky enough to meet their soul mate, their other half, their knight in shining armour. I was blessed enough to find my hero. I met him in a time of my life where critical decisions had to be made. It was often his support and words that got me through. I found in him, a rock for strength and a place to rest when weary. He gave my son self esteem and self confidence when he had none. He was always coming to my rescue.......locked out of the car, locked out of the house, a broken AC, electrical work, help with building things and playing chauffer to my son and his friends, always being there for me. He was my hero when he took on the job of firefighter. I was never so proud. And he was my hero when he promised everything would be ok after Hurricane Charley. He was my boyfriend, and formost, my best friend, a best friend as it was truly meant to be. For the time I got to spend with him I am truly grateful, 9 years of knowing him and 8 years of being his girlfriend, sharing our lives, thoughts, and hopes for the future. My life shall truly be a sadder one without him. Watch over me, Pete, and continue to be my hero.
1 comment:
A funny thing happened to me yesterday. As I was standing next to the creek in our hometown that had flooded over it's banks, I thought of Pete. My dear old friend that is so close in thought, I could almost touch him.
Hurrican Ivan had come up the west side of the Appalachian mountains and hit Western Pennsylvania hard on September 17, dropping 5.5 inches of rain. This, just 10 days after Hurricane Frances dropped 3.5 inches of rain. Amazingly, Ivan broke the record for daily rainfall that Frances had just set.
I was out taking photo's in Zelienople, and came across this business that the Connoquenessing Creek was using as a makeshift creekbed. It was then that I realized the last time a natural disaster this large occured in this area was in 1985 when a front of tornadoes came through the area. In 1985, I was out that next day taking photo's with Pete. In some ways I was out taking photo's with him yesterday. I found myself seeing things through the lense that I wouldn't have thought about before. I also found myself talking to the people who's livelihood was disappearing right before their eyes. They seemed to have a sadness embedded in their faces and I found myself wishing I was a reporter able to tell their story. That was something Pete would have done. He was magical with a camera, he was able to catch that moment in such a way, that made you want to know more. Know more about the person or the event happening. I took one photo in particular that made me giggle and want to e-mail it to him. It was a speed limit sign that said to slow down, speed limit 10mph. Behind the sign was about 4 feet of water along with things floating by. I thought of Pete's sense of humor and pictured his head tilted back laughing. It's weird, but the sound of his laughter is embedded in my memory. No matter how bad the situation was, he could find something funny to say to lighten the mood. Even after three weeks, I find it hard to believe I will never hear his laughter again.
I think about the last time I saw him, sitting on my couch. We had been outside sitting on the deck, it had gotten chilly, so we came in. We happened to be talking politics, which was something I had never done with him. I thought to myself, how odd that someone I have known so long and I had no idea what his political beliefs were. Is it that our relationship was shallow and we didn't care what the other one thought about politics, or was there so little time during his visits that we didn't want to bother with the trivial stuff - I wonder... I would like to think that we didn't want to bother with the trivial stuff because we were more concerned about other things like school, family, life partners, work, relegion and all that other stuff that makes up life. Earlier that evening, Sue and I joked with him that he had to pay for dinner. We joked because he never had any cash on him, I think he was a little upset with us, but I told him that we wouldn't tease him if we didn't love him. I meant what I said, I only wish I would have told him how much he meant to me. So as Stephanie has said before, I love you Pete and watch over us all. You made my life more interesting with your smile, your laugh, your sarcasm and your friendship. To all those people I have met because of Pete, I love you too, for being in Pete's life and being his friend.
Post a Comment