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A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends, Garfield Turner, got into a vehicular accident and passed away. Today was his funeral and celebration of life. This was the second funeral that I've had to attend in as many months, and this one was just as hard and I wish it didn't happen.
I didn't know Garfield very well, I will admit. He is a friend of a friend of mine. But you wouldn't know that if you saw us together. He loved everyone as if they were his best friend, he dedicated his time to you.
The funeral was quite grand. A lot of people came out, and something that really stood out was that at least a hundred people from his cheerleading crew attended, one of the many groups he's been dedicating his time to for the past five years - and that made up only about a quarter to a fifth of the entire attendance.
I'll reiterate what was said by one of the people at the funeral: He was a Bucket-Filler. In today's schools they are teaching children that your bucket - filled with love, warmth, compassion, and caring - is not entirely filled by yourself, but by others. While you give compassion, friendliness and warmth, you fill others' buckets, and in return, it fills yours. Garfield was one of the best Bucket-Fillers that anyone has ever seen, with an unwavering compassion and a never-ending stream of compliments and gratitude, and I could see so many people nodding in agreement today.
He lived his life to the fullest. He enjoyed everything. He always smiled. He did what he wanted to do. He was always joking, always playing around, sometimes even making a fool of himself - but you know that it put a smile on people's faces. His enthusiasm and dedication would brighten any situation.
One of the songs played at the ceremony was Gone Too Soon. He truly is Gone Too Soon. I still don't know if I'm processing it correctly even after everything I saw today.
I miss his contagious smile already. Every time I say, type, or even think it I can't help but cry. If I have anything to take away from what I saw today, is that he was universally loved and respected. If I could aspire to even have a quarter of the compassion and love that Garfield had for his fellow friends (and by that, I mean everybody), then I would be a better person.
You will be missed by the world, Garfield.
I didn't know Garfield very well, I will admit. He is a friend of a friend of mine. But you wouldn't know that if you saw us together. He loved everyone as if they were his best friend, he dedicated his time to you.
The funeral was quite grand. A lot of people came out, and something that really stood out was that at least a hundred people from his cheerleading crew attended, one of the many groups he's been dedicating his time to for the past five years - and that made up only about a quarter to a fifth of the entire attendance.
I'll reiterate what was said by one of the people at the funeral: He was a Bucket-Filler. In today's schools they are teaching children that your bucket - filled with love, warmth, compassion, and caring - is not entirely filled by yourself, but by others. While you give compassion, friendliness and warmth, you fill others' buckets, and in return, it fills yours. Garfield was one of the best Bucket-Fillers that anyone has ever seen, with an unwavering compassion and a never-ending stream of compliments and gratitude, and I could see so many people nodding in agreement today.
He lived his life to the fullest. He enjoyed everything. He always smiled. He did what he wanted to do. He was always joking, always playing around, sometimes even making a fool of himself - but you know that it put a smile on people's faces. His enthusiasm and dedication would brighten any situation.
One of the songs played at the ceremony was Gone Too Soon. He truly is Gone Too Soon. I still don't know if I'm processing it correctly even after everything I saw today.
I miss his contagious smile already. Every time I say, type, or even think it I can't help but cry. If I have anything to take away from what I saw today, is that he was universally loved and respected. If I could aspire to even have a quarter of the compassion and love that Garfield had for his fellow friends (and by that, I mean everybody), then I would be a better person.
You will be missed by the world, Garfield.