Monday, June 4, 2012

Au Re-voir


Eric was a remarkable man. I don't have to tell you that. But in this last post, I will tell you a little about what you don't know.

If his words touched your heart, his presence far surpassed them. Anyone who met Eric, felt the strength of the man he was, his fiercely intelligent eyes, listening, grasping, quickly understanding. Gently reflecting and internalizing a trust.

How sensitive Eric was, reading emotions and body movements sometimes better than one could their own. We dare not watch a movie without a shared box of kleenex. And chocolate. He loved dark chocolate, as did I. Our fridge always had at least 5 pounds of chocolate in it. Yes, pounds.

Eric never finished school. At the age of 17, he left home because of an abusive stepfather. Where did he learn to write so well? He taught himself. The poetry came out of nowhere in his later years. When writing, nothing could distract him. He was so focused. I could scream FIRE and he would simply look around and then go back to typing, the words easily flowing despite any interruption. A singular gift.

Blogging encouraged Eric to write more, the feedback from fellow bloggers uplifting even more. He had the highest respect and love for you. He would call me into the computer room and show me what 'she/he' wrote and I could see the tears in his eyes. By leaving a comment, you helped him more than you know. Thank you.

I was fortunate to have spent the last 8 years with this beautiful man. I have not one regret. Just that I miss him so.

Elizabeth