Remember
I originally posted this in another journal on February 4th, 2004. It is worth remembering, and therefore worth re-posting….
I gave a speech today… it was for my effective speaking class… The assignment was, find something that you have with you, and make an impromptu persuasive speech about it… we were given a little time in class to prepare it, and then gave a 2-3 minute speech… Most people made a speech about why you should use this cell phone service X, or credit card Y… The one I gave made me think, and I wanted to post it here… I’m writing it here from memory, but I think it will be fairly close to what I said, only without the nervousness in my voice… it’s funny, I don’t normally get this nervous when speaking, but this one made my hands tremble as I stood there saying these things to a room full of people I barely know… Anyway, here it goes…
“My speech is going to be a little different, but as I was going through my wallet, i came across a newspaper clipping that I had almost forgot that I have… I’m just going to read a little bit of it…
‘Darryl Pauley Jr., 15, of 2285 Hillborn Road, died Tuesday, Nov. 18, 1997. . . . Darryl was a 10th grade student at Seneca High School. He enjoyed music and playing the guitar. In addition to his parents, survivors include his stepfather, Patrick Gallagher of Greene Township; a brother, Brian Pauley of Greene Township; his maternal grandparents, Calvin Pauley of Loveland and Thelma Johnson of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends’
I didn’t really consider Darryl to be a close friend. He was one of those people that you would more consider a friend of a friend. What this clipping doesn’t tell you, is that Darryl committed suicide.
In the note that he left, he said that he had problems with his family and in life, and he felt that no one cared enough or could do anything about it, and he could no longer take it.
Judging by the number of people at his funeral, and by the fact that 6 years later, someone who was just a friend of a friend still carries this around with him as a reminder – i would say that Darryl was wrong.
I’m not trying to persuade you not to commit suicide – i think that is pretty obvious… I’d just like to tell you that sometimes, people, including yourself, need to be reminded that no matter how bad things may seem, there are always people who care and are willing to help.
Now, this may be the extreme consequence of forgetting this, but perhaps by remembering it you can at least make someone smile who is having a hard time.
Thank you.”
August 2nd, 2005 at 11:41 pm
Somehow this repost didn’t really surprise me. I’m guessing this came across your mind at the reunion like it did for me.
August 3rd, 2005 at 8:49 am
That, and the discussion on weez’s site for the post consider this
October 19th, 2005 at 1:51 pm
I still miss him and think about it from time to time. If only he knew who he touched in his short time.
October 14th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
A day doesn’t go by that I still don’t think of him, 10 years later.
October 29th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
And the clipping still sits in my wallet…
January 8th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I didn’t know this young man, but his father was a friend of mine in High School. Hearing about this death made me sad…you think you know how your life effects those around you but you never really can. You think your feelings are fact and that they will last forever, but they won’t. Life and lives continually change and evolve and sometimes we will never know the ripple effect that others have made to create who we are becoming.
March 4th, 2009 at 1:04 am
Darryl was my step brother, not a day goes by when this does not go through my mind, that no matter how bad things get in life that ending your is not an answer.
He never knew really how awesome he was.