...and as they are carrying him out, i had all of these friends just surrounding me, holding me. even the reactions of other people who weren't so close... it was all in unison, they were all just crying as hard as i was and kept saying, "we lost our father too, we lost our dad." and one of the sweetest things i can remember is this woman - she was my friend's mother - she brought me this pie... (laughs) ... she was so sweet, she made me sit on her lap, and cradled me as if i was a small child. and in her sweet southern voice she said, 'whenever i'm sad, dear, i drown my sorrows in strawberry pie.' ... (another laugh) ... years later, i remember her very best friend passed away unexpectedly, and so naturally, i showed up at her house with a strawberry pie, and hugged and said, 'you let me drown my sorrows in strawberry pie, so i'm giving that gift back to you, let me be that for you now.'
... the amount of love and amazing capacity that people have to just drop everything and be there for one person is immeasurable and unforgettable. i want to live my life to be that person for everyone else, because i am just so fucking thankful, i don't know where i'd be without the love and support they all showed me on short notice....
...oh strawberry pie, i mean just the ridiculousness of a woman, cradling another fully grown woman, telling her to drown her sorrows in this edible dish, it's so fantastic and hilarious, and in all of that pain, she made me laugh.
and that's the truth that i live by. once you give that love, it instantly comes back to you full force. my father always gave out that love, and people loved him back for it. ...i am not perfect, and i can be a complete pain sometimes, but i never, ever not give love and support for anyone who would need it. he is the reason that i am that way, even before this terrible thing happened. my mother taught me a lot of amazing things, but he taught me this important life lesson, he taught me how to truly love others. he was the person who, everyday, no matter what, would show me how to treat other people with warmth and generosity, and he constantly would say "i love you, and i am so proud of you." even if there was nothing i had done that day to deserve such praise. it was this loving, caring demeanor, that's what i take away from recounting this sad moment of my life. it was terrifying, but it also showed me the power of kindness...