Last week I turned 35...
Felt like kind of a milestone. I decided for the first time in my adult life that I wanted to do something as a family with Alex, Don & his girls. We opted to take a trip to Adventureland in Des Moines. An amusement park of sorts a bit more child oriented than say Great America. It was fun. The kids had a blast & I think us grown ups did too. However, there was bit of a cloud hanging over me that I will try to explain.
I have a point...I think.
Years ago, I had a boyfriend that was in a Hard Core Metal rockband. Through him I became friends with some of the greatest people I have ever met. Curtis Butterfield was the singer (so to speak) in a band called Uphold. He kinda scared me at first. I remembered going to school with him but I never really knew him then. I know now I missed out...Curtis was so nice and was always willing to listen to me. My early 20's were a mess but the times I spent with Curtis, Al, Chad, Rob, Hollie & Coach were so helpful to me. I can only hope that I make a difference in someone life they way they did in mine.
Curtis had an accident back in November. While things were getting better, a turn for the worse has been taken. Curtis is going to die. That is so hard for me to say. So many things to say about it but the words wont't come out. I used to believe that when the end of the world came there would still be Twinkies, Cockroaches & Curtis Butterfield.
The last time I saw Curtis was at the Filling Station having lunch about a year ago. In those few minutes of talking we caught up like no time had ever passed. He told me about Clara, his daughter and showed me a picture. I too showed him pictures of Alex and we laughed about how funny our kids are. I hugged him good-bye & said I would see him around.
Now I see him often...
I see his pictures, read about the end of this life & how his family is coping. I read about the students who he made a difference in their lives. His wife is so strong. I guess you never know what is in you until you are faced with it. Her blog is: http://www.curtisbutterfield.com/
Why is it that we always have so many things to say when it is too late???
I leave you with a blog from Curtis himself:
http://tekmet.blogspot.com/2008/05/when-i-die.html
-a
