Today, I was bumming around on Facebook when I got a chat from a family member of Ramsey’s. We spent a few minutes thanking each other for being so supportive and exchanging pleasantries – but we ended us sharing our own personal memories of Ramsey’s life and what he meant to us.
And something special came up.
You know, Ramsey was a beautiful person who was full of joy and laughter, hugs and sweetness.
The kind of person who would lift you up and comfort you, make you feel safe and loved whenever you needed it. He didn’t have an ounce of ill-will towards anyone. I never knew him to be angry, or hurtful; vengeful or argumentative.
The stories his friends and family have shared at his memorial at FSC on Tuesday put a huge smile on my face: Lifting up his friend on his shoulders so she could see the lead singer of Incubus at a concert… singing to a 12 lb. ham “Baby, coooome to me”…driving a couch home in the pouring rain (against the common sense of others – and subsequently never getting to use the couch)…. TRUUUUEEEE… and “I feel ya”
The best way that we could figure, was to take these special parts of Ramsey’s personality, and share them with the rest of our friends and family. It’s the best way we could honor Ramsey’s life.
Lift your friends up. Love life, and food. Do your own thing. Be supportive.
It seems like such a simple thing.
So in turn, I’ve made a promise to reconnect with my friends I’ve lost touch with.
I know life sneaks up on us, but it’s never too late, and I’m never too busy, to say hello once in awhile. I also promise to think of him whenever I feel like things are making me upset, or angry – and try to approach it with his stylish sense of good humor and easy-going-ness (is that a word?).
I also promise to give, and get, hugs with half the conviction he did. He committed to his hugs, and I remember exactly how good he could make me feel, no matter what was troubling me. I will always remember this one important detail of my times with him.
So those are my 3 things: Reconnect. Relax. Hug.
If every person who met Ramsey could take one part of his personality and carry it through their own lives, his spirit will always live here with each and every one of us. Ramsey’s life had purpose, and so does his death.
I’m not very open about my faith, but it gets me through every single day without him. I know there’s a purpose, a bigger meaning, and a reason for everything. I’m sure he’s causing a ruckus up there. I’ll talk to him about that tonight :)
I know he’s with me every single day, and I know that it’s selfish to want him back to ease my own pain. We think they needed a little humor up there, and called for him to join the party.
In conclusion (yes, this is my “paper” for the day):
I want to be more like him, because he was an awesome person that touched everyone’s lives in one way or another; and I hope that when the time comes for me to reflect back on my life, that I can say the same.
