Rest in Peace - You Are Free

I'm Free
by Linda Jo Jackson

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God has laid you see.
I took His hand when I heard him call
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee
God wanted me now; He set me free.


I found out this afternoon that an old friend of the family's died this morning, and the above poem is what I imagine he might say to his family and friends. I could be wrong. I graduated with one of his daughters and spent a good amount of time at the family's house. I got to know her parents, her sisters and her brothers a bit, too. They are a good family.

Our old family friend was a good man. I remember him as being kind and jovial most of the time. For what it's worth, I thought he was a good dad.

My family has a strange connection with his family. Both families lived in a very small town in Minnesota before moving to the same town in Wisconsin. We didn't live in the Minnesota town at the same time, though. The town in Minnesota had only 301 people in it, so to have ended up in our small Wisconsin town of a bit over 8,000 people seemed rather strange to me. It created a bond between our two families that I feel to this day.

Besides, his family has always been nice. You know I put a great deal of importance on being nice. Well, not only are they nice; they're funny, too. ... and kind, hard-working, thoughtful, talented, and, and, and ... all the good things that people should be.

I'm sad that our friend died, but he was suffering; so I guess it is better for him. It is hard for everyone else.

If I can make it to the funeral, I will go. If I go to the funeral, I will drive up that morning and return that night. I will see my family and some friends, give my condolences, and return to my home and my life as quickly as possible. I have found this to be the best course for me when attending funerals in my home town. Something about the extreme emotion of it all gets me, and I need to return to my "safe place" where my children are as soon as possible. I am not as strong as I once was, I guess. We'll see how it all goes.

All that stuff about not feeling sad and all that, well it's pretty hard. I know it's selfish, but it just takes a while to filter through the emotions. I am glad that he is not suffering any more. I just wish he hadn't had to suffer at all was still alive. That's not so profound, is it.

Rest in Peace, Sir. You are sorely missed.