Farewell Carl Robert Eastman Jr.

My husband's brother Carl, passed away last Saturday after a long struggle with illness. Carl loved his family, friends - many of them pen pals even in this day of decreasing snail mail, and trains. Every chance he could, he would travel or take a trip so he could travel by train.

God speed Carl. You will be missed greatly.
If I imagine that you are just away for a while on a train excursion - it makes saying farewell a little easier...

What is Death?
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without affect,
without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.

All is well.
~ Henry Scott Holland

Comments

Mel said…

Oh, Tara.... I'm sad. But there's a piece of me that's at peace for him.

I hope you find that, if it's not found you already.

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