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For nearly 9 years,10 ex-medics who served in Vietnam, learned how to live again,and
how to deal with P.T.S.D.
The teacher was brilliant and she forced me to look in a mirror and change what I didn't
like.
Events, health, everything really, was shared in that room. No one would EVER share
with anyone what they had learned. I remember lot's of tears, anger, and lots of laughter.
I had the best luck to always sit next to a man who could quote from many books.
wore Obama shirts while our President was still a Senator. David was his name ,
People who see the picture I sent know his last name. David was a very private
person except with us.
David bled politics, he showed pictures of signed pictures of Presidents and two
of Washington state's governors. He was going to let me meet Booth Gardiner,
a former governor of our state. Booth lived with Parkinson's and died before
I could get advice on how I should view our shared illness.
David gave me books to read, REALLY learn about Martin Luther King. David was a democrat because no one person can do everything by himself. It's good to
take a village to raise kids and make this world a better place. It was from him
I learned to be part of something bigger than myself.
He was one of the first to say "your slipping, your mind seems to wander. "I am
worried about you". He knew I love quotes and I have books filled them. Sometimes
we would play for hours on our computer throwing quotes at each other. Any
subject was fair game. Sometimes it would take me 15 minutes to find just
the "right" quote to send him. It never, took him longer than 2 or 3 minutes to
respond. I once asked how he could look up a quote so fast. "Look up?" he would
ask, "Come on David, no one knows ALL the quotes you send. He would smile and
say "what ever makes you feel good Mikee." I swear he did know all those quotes.
David made me slowdown and focus. He taught love of other people and helping
folks is the most important thing a person could do.
I knew he had cancer but swore it was getting better. I dropped out of the group
thinking I needed to use what I knew about P.T.S.D., Bi-Polar issues , and what I had
learned, with other people.
I last talked with David two months before he died. "I was told awhile ago, I have
5 or 6 months left" I was speechless, finally after silence, he said to take care and
be well. I knew that was the last time we would ever talk. Tears flowed from my
eyes like a waterfall when I told him how much I loved him and much better the
world was because of him. He never answered back.
I gave him space, but finally checked, he died in May of colon cancer.
David had emotional pain that only his counselor knew about. Through all the years
I knew him. He asked all in the group including me how we were. He loved jokes and
sharing funny stories.
I share this with you because he taught us how to live and die. He had courage and class.
He was religious and he was a hell of a lot smarter than me. I believe he left us on the
wings of angels and now is in a beautiful place filled with sunshine and eager souls
listening to a very bright man. As he looks up at heaven's sky, I know he sees the
smiling and loving face of God.
The World is darker because you left us, David.
You need to know the brilliance and love which made you, moved into our hearts where
wise men say love and truth is kept.
I promise to leave this World as you did. I can't say I will do it as well as you did, but
I'll try.
Be well my friend.
Mikee
-Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as
the end of the ocean.
-David Searls
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