He loved enormously. His love was not a passive affection or admiration, it was not quiet or well-behaved. His love made demands, and the demands were that he do all he could for those close to him and that those close to him rise up into the people his love knew they could be. A love that saw the flaws and cracks along with the strengths and beauties. A love that did not hide from the difficult or frightening but sat in the uncomfortable space and worked.
He loved enormously, and everyone who came close felt it, and no one escaped the gravity well once they fell in. Friends and ex-husbands and second wives and all, and in-laws were never merely family "in law." He surrounded himself with family, and there was no distinction between those he helped bring into the world and those who found their way in later.
He loved enormously, and to imply that it was merely platonic love would be to erase a piece of his humanity. He loved his girlfriend and one of the last comforts he took from this world was seeing her safe and sound. He loved his wife and made a point of making her blush on her death bed, and in their wedding photos, and more times than any of us could count or imagine.
He loved enormously, and it was never more evident than when he was holding a baby, and we gave him so many babies to hold. It was only fitting, because it's hard to imagine anyone but an infant being able to match him for pure unconditional and uncompromising love. A love that is fierce and solid, that makes demands but cannot imagine giving up or pulling back.
He loved enormously and left nothing in reserve.
This is really lovely.
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 08, 2017, 09:55:02 PM
This is really lovely.
I literally banged it out at 5am the morning of the funeral because I couldn't sleep. I didn't know they didn't have a eulogy ready when I shipped it off to Dad "just in case it's useful for something" and it ended up being literally the only thing said about my Grandfather at the funeral, everything else was Catholic copypasta.
This is amazing.
Yup, I'm crying. Good thing I'm working from home today. It's not a pretty cry.
Quote from: Q. G. Pennyworth on January 08, 2017, 10:01:09 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 08, 2017, 09:55:02 PM
This is really lovely.
I literally banged it out at 5am the morning of the funeral because I couldn't sleep. I didn't know they didn't have a eulogy ready when I shipped it off to Dad "just in case it's useful for something" and it ended up being literally the only thing said about my Grandfather at the funeral, everything else was Catholic copypasta.
This is one of the things that sickens me about practically every funeral I've ever been to. I can recall only two out of dozens where the person officiating the thing actually bothered to know anything about the fuckers who died.
Anyway, beautiful piece. Glad he at least got something like a decent eulogy.
That was amazing