Mourning an Early Morning Call

Last night I was woken up by a phone call. Late night phone calls are never good, especially if they come from my parents. Mom just came out with it " Colin was in an accident and he didn't make it." What? This was a dream right. It wasn't. It was real and for the third time my life has been changed by someone I know being in a fatal car accident. Being in Austin it is hard to feel the true impact of this situation yet. I don't even know what to think, what to say, what to do. I just laid there silently crying for my aunt and uncle, who would now have to bury their only son.

My emotions are so mixed because I have the peace and knowledge that comes from the Gospel and know with all my heart that this life is not the end, but the beginning. But also you cannot help but miss those people who are taken from this life and grieve that missing part of your life that you used to know. I know I will see him again someday, but it doesn't lessen the grief and sadness I feel right now, right here.

We grew up visiting my aunt, uncle, and two cousins in Wolf City. I had fun walking all over town, buying sack fulls of candy at the only gas station, and playing with my two wonderful cousins in a beautiful victorian home that belonged to my aunt and uncle. I spent a few weeks there almost every summer. Colin could be a little stubborn, but he was a great uncle to my cousin Heather's kids and was active in almost everything in that small town of Wolf City. I remember when I got married and the first Christmas he met Heath and the two got along so well. They exchanged numbers in case Heath ever wanted to hear stories about me growing up. That was Colin. A people person of people of all generations. I know he is in a better place, but we will miss him a lot down here.