Within Us

I wrote this poem in memory of my friend James who passed away on the 22nd of October 2013.

October 22nd 2013

The pain in my chest was indescribable.

There was now a fear inside of me that we would all have to live our lives from now on without that beautiful person that could make us smile no matter what. 

And that night, I cried myself to sleep.

I struggled my way through the days leading up to the 1st of November 2013. 

On that day, I went through something none of us should never of had to go through.

As I walked out of the Greenop's house, there was the coffin that he lay in. 

Everton blue to match his favourite team. 

That day was the hardest day of my life and that night, I cried myself to sleep.

The day of his birthday, he turned 11.

We hoped that the messages we wrote on balloons reached him on their way up into the sky.

If he by chance missed one of those, I know that he had already seen them when he was watching over us.

And again that night, I cried myself to sleep.

The days leading up to Christmas broke my heart.

Knowing that I would never be able to see him on Christmas day showing off his new presents from his family and friends.

Every night leading up, I cried myself to sleep.

New year was hard for everyone.

Not being able to start the year with him.

Not having those den nights that the Greenop family proudly host every year.

That night, I cried myself to sleep.

On the 22nd of April 2014, 6 months after he had passed.

It was hard for everyone, it was a realization for me.

That night I did not cry myself to sleep.

Six long, painful months without him made me realize that even though he isn't physically here with us, he is here all around us. 

I realized that death does not come when their time on Earth is up, but death comes when the brilliance inside of that person can only be held back for so long.

So when a person passes, their brilliance will be passed out and shared among other people so that their legacy will live on within them.

James is still with us, in every single person that ever met him, in every person he came into contact with, hugged, and loved.

James lives on forever, within us.