This is a letter I wrote to CEW and which was read on my behalf, by my son, at her funeral. Many people spoke to me about the contents at that time and I submit it again...its the way I felt then and its the way I feel now...
Dear Charlotte
I wish more than anything in the world that I wasn’t writing this letter to you.
There are so many people here today – and so many more who aren’t but who are here in spirit. And we are all here because you touched each and every one of us.
How does one little angel touch so many people in so many ways ?
Each of us knew you in some unique and special way – you touched our souls with the smile on your face and your zest for life and no one I’ve ever known could lift our spirits like you did…
At a time like this we often think of words like love and beauty and friendship and kindness ….and I think of all of those words when I think of you….
But the word I think of most….now that I’ve had time to reflect on you and your life …is respect…
There was a time when you and I were very close…we shared a lot of secrets and you told me things I wish I’d never had to hear….but you were always pretty honest (well, almost always…you DO know what I mean) …you were always open and no one was ever more grateful than you.
I loved your little gifts and your notes and your graciousness for what we went through together during that period of your life…
I know that you knew how much your Mom and Dad and Ali supported you. In every way that a family can support …they left nothing on the field…no matter what….you were their angel with a slightly damaged wing…
They never let up and they loved you unconditionally for 34 blessed years…
Most of all I respect you because you fought a battle that is as tough as they come but your smile and your love for all of us never faded….not ever
Charlotte, many of us today are feeling guilt …..we all wonder if we could have done more, if we could have done something different
I’m sure that many of us – I know I feel this way – wish we had called you more often, stayed in touch, wrote you a note…came to wherever you were to see you.
I wish, I wish, I wish….
So what do we do now….
Charlotte, theres one thing I can tell you for sure and that is that you will never be forgotten
You will be remembered forever and I promise you that I will make sure that because you lived your life as an example to others – your love for us and your passion for life will never be forgotten
Charlotte, so many words of love have been spoken over the past few weeks….so many of us have wished you well and hope that you are in a better place
I don’t know what I believe or even sometimes what I think…but I have faith and a deep hope that you are with the angels in some sort of heaven…
You truly were a candle in the wind and whenever I see those treetops bending and hear the birds singing….I will believe that its you smiling down on all of us and singing words of love…..
Charlotte, I hope and pray that we will see each other again and that when we do – that smile of yours and that beautiful face will once again truly light up my life….
Goodbye my friend…I’ll see you soon
Dear Charlotte
I wish more than anything in the world that I wasn’t writing this letter to you.
There are so many people here today – and so many more who aren’t but who are here in spirit. And we are all here because you touched each and every one of us.
How does one little angel touch so many people in so many ways ?
Each of us knew you in some unique and special way – you touched our souls with the smile on your face and your zest for life and no one I’ve ever known could lift our spirits like you did…
At a time like this we often think of words like love and beauty and friendship and kindness ….and I think of all of those words when I think of you….
But the word I think of most….now that I’ve had time to reflect on you and your life …is respect…
There was a time when you and I were very close…we shared a lot of secrets and you told me things I wish I’d never had to hear….but you were always pretty honest (well, almost always…you DO know what I mean) …you were always open and no one was ever more grateful than you.
I loved your little gifts and your notes and your graciousness for what we went through together during that period of your life…
I know that you knew how much your Mom and Dad and Ali supported you. In every way that a family can support …they left nothing on the field…no matter what….you were their angel with a slightly damaged wing…
They never let up and they loved you unconditionally for 34 blessed years…
Most of all I respect you because you fought a battle that is as tough as they come but your smile and your love for all of us never faded….not ever
Charlotte, many of us today are feeling guilt …..we all wonder if we could have done more, if we could have done something different
I’m sure that many of us – I know I feel this way – wish we had called you more often, stayed in touch, wrote you a note…came to wherever you were to see you.
I wish, I wish, I wish….
So what do we do now….
Charlotte, theres one thing I can tell you for sure and that is that you will never be forgotten
You will be remembered forever and I promise you that I will make sure that because you lived your life as an example to others – your love for us and your passion for life will never be forgotten
Charlotte, so many words of love have been spoken over the past few weeks….so many of us have wished you well and hope that you are in a better place
I don’t know what I believe or even sometimes what I think…but I have faith and a deep hope that you are with the angels in some sort of heaven…
You truly were a candle in the wind and whenever I see those treetops bending and hear the birds singing….I will believe that its you smiling down on all of us and singing words of love…..
Charlotte, I hope and pray that we will see each other again and that when we do – that smile of yours and that beautiful face will once again truly light up my life….
Dear Charlotte
I wish more than anything in the world that I wasn’t writing this letter to you.
There are so many people here today – and so many more who aren’t but who are here in spirit. And we are all here because you touched each and every one of us.
How does one little angel touch so many people in so many ways ?
Each of us knew you in some unique and special way – you touched our souls with the smile on your face and your zest for life and no one I’ve ever known could lift our spirits like you did…
At a time like this we often think of words like love and beauty and friendship and kindness ….and I think of all of those words when I think of you….
But the word I think of most….now that I’ve had time to reflect on you and your life …is respect…
There was a time when you and I were very close…we shared a lot of secrets and you told me things I wish I’d never had to hear….but you were always pretty honest (well, almost always…you DO know what I mean) …you were always open and no one was ever more grateful than you.
I loved your little gifts and your notes and your graciousness for what we went through together during that period of your life…
I know that you knew how much your Mom and Dad and Ali supported you. In every way that a family can support …they left nothing on the field…no matter what….you were their angel with a slightly damaged wing…
They never let up and they loved you unconditionally for 34 blessed years…
Most of all I respect you because you fought a battle that is as tough as they come but your smile and your love for all of us never faded….not ever
Charlotte, many of us today are feeling guilt …..we all wonder if we could have done more, if we could have done something different
I’m sure that many of us – I know I feel this way – wish we had called you more often, stayed in touch, wrote you a note…came to wherever you were to see you.
I wish, I wish, I wish….
So what do we do now….
Charlotte, theres one thing I can tell you for sure and that is that you will never be forgotten
You will be remembered forever and I promise you that I will make sure that because you lived your life as an example to others – your love for us and your passion for life will never be forgotten
Charlotte, so many words of love have been spoken over the past few weeks….so many of us have wished you well and hope that you are in a better place
I don’t know what I believe or even sometimes what I think…but I have faith and a deep hope that you are with the angels in some sort of heaven…
You truly were a candle in the wind and whenever I see those treetops bending and hear the birds singing….I will believe that its you smiling down on all of us and singing words of love…..
Charlotte, I hope and pray that we will see each other again and that when we do – that smile of yours and that beautiful face will once again truly light up my life….