I Haven't Forgotten You

UPDATE - 8/15/07

Last night while I was typing up the post below, I received a call on my cellphone, but I didn't recognize the number so I didn't answer. I got a call from that same number this afternoon at 3pm, and when I answered it was my next door neighbor. She was calling to tell me that one of our neighbors (her next door neighbor) had passed away last night. He was an older gentleman and his health had been failing, but I wasn't prepared to hear this. He's always been such a great supportive neighbor. My heart aches for his wife. Now she will be living all alone in that house. This is really shocking.

Now I understand what that feeling was on my heart last night when I was going on and on about death last night. Amazing. :-(

========================================
I found a website a few moments ago where a few people post comments on songs, movies, etc,...that they enjoy. When I went to a page containing Annie Lenox's "Into the West" a few kids commented that Garrett Middle School dedicated this particular song to one of their students earlier this year during a performance by the school choir. That student was Chrisondra Kimble, who was a member of that same school choir before she died a few months prior.

I'm feeling extremely heartbroken right now. I can't explain it at this time, but I can't get the deaths of Chrisondra Kimble and Del Mattox off of my mind tonight. They were brutally murdered back in April of this year. I thought that I had already grieved over them, but I honestly believe that my heart went completely numb after dealing with the devastating blow of the death of Nyia Page back in February. I grieved for that baby for a long time. After hearing the news of Chrisondra and Del followed days later by the death of my co-worker's daughter Kaylie, my heart just couldn't take anymore.

I don't question the Lord. He is supreme and knows all. I just wish I could take away the pain that their family must be going through every single day and night. We get so busy with our lives and sometimes find ourselves complaining about one thing or another. But I just wanted to take a moment and declare that I have not nor will I ever forget about Chrisondra Kimble and Del Mattox.

I'm dedicating this to people in my life that I loved who are no longer physically present as of recently, but remain in my heart:

Veronica Berry (stylist)
Bryant Jackson (best friend from High School)
Gwendolyn Armstrong (my beloved aunt)
HF Shepherd (childhood pastor)
Catherine Givan (my husband's beloved aunt)





Into The West

Lay down,
your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey’s end.

Sleep now,and dream
of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
from across a distant shore.

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see.
All of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
you’re only sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
All souls pass.

Hope fades,
Into the world of night.
Through shadows falling,
Out of memory and time.

Don’t say,
We have come now to the end.
White shores are calling.
You and I will meet again.
And you’ll be here in my arms,
Just sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
Grey ships pass
Into the West.

Family Tragedy

Most of us have at least one first cousin. My grandmother has a first cousin named Vivian. Vivian and her late sister Julia both have grandkids, Chris and Del, that are very close to one another. Chris and Del, 13 and 15 years old respectively, are about the cutest kids you'll ever see.



Around the middle of April, two sick, disgusting animals known as Jeff Moody and Chris Penn decided to take the lives of these precious children. The kids were on Spring Break at the time, and were walking to a Kroger near their home for snacks one afternoon. They took a well-known shortcut through some woods. This is where they met their untimely and gruesome fate. I wanted to blog about this some time ago, but the details of their deaths are so horrific that I haven't been able to write about it, let alone even speak of it to anyone.

Another thing that makes this so tragic to me is that I never even had the opportunity to meet either Chris or Del. If you take a picture of my family tree, you may as well cut it into fourths beginning with my great-grandmother and her siblings. This is why my grandmother and her first cousins aren't very close, and on down the line. People, if you have issues with a sibling or a first cousin, and decide to cease speaking to them because of some argument, misunderstanding, or a simple failure to see eye-to-eye, bear in mind that you are also affecting generations to come. I did not even know that Chris or Del existed until this horrific occurrence.

So please understand that no condolences are necessary for me. They should be reserved for the parents and grandparents who will be personally suffering and grieving this loss for many years to come. Please go to the Lord on their behalf. May these angels be at peace in the kingdom of heaven for eternity.


Chrisondra Sierra Kimble

More:
[Article from close friend]
[Family describes cousins]