To Pearl
I had only known Pearl for a little over three years now but she left her mark upon me. Pearl always smiled and said how beautiful everybody was and how much she loved everybody. In the short time that I knew Pearl I made a promise that I was going to take care of her Granddaughter forever, which I cannot recall if it was verbal or just an understanding. I made the same promise to her husband Phil even though I never had the honor of meeting him. But from the first day that I really sat down to talk to Pearl, I wanted to make sure that she too was happy and knew that she was loved by me. People who really care can have these types of unwritten contracts with each other. Pearl did things because she cared and she was a wonderful human being. The world needed Pearl more than Pearl needed the world. Sunday night, everybody had taken notice of how lovely Pearl looked, that she did not have the wrinkles of somebody who was stressed. That is because the only thing Pearl was capable of was smiling and bringing laughter to everybody. It was little things, like trying to trick me into giving her an extra Werther’s, yelling out “That’s my hat!” during a slideshow at Erika’s 30th birthday party, always saying “Hi honey” when we would come over, being excited about Stacy and I living in her house even though we had only been together for three and a half months, catching her walking without her walker when I came by for a monthly biscotti visit, soft hands, telling me that it was Lori’s teeth in her hands when I knew full well that it was Pearl’s pearls in her hands, knowing that she helped a little neighbor girl who needed a second mother, knowing that when times were bad she was the mediator and the one who could stay calm and sort things out, and the list continues with all of us. One of the things that I am most appreciative of is allowing me to become a part of her family that she made so many sacrifices to create. It saddens me a great deal to see her go but the root of the sadness lies in the fact that she became a part of my family and that she was such a great human being. I know that there were some trying times for Pearl and sometimes it was hard to hang on but I thank her for hanging on as long as she did because I know I speak for so many family and friends when I say that she has shaped me in a way that nobody else could. One of my greatest mentors shared a word with me, Saive, which means everything you do makes me who I am. To Pearl, Saive and thank you for everything you have done to shape me and everything that you have done that will shape my future.
I will love and miss you.
