Blade Edge

Transposed from Gaiiden’s Scroll

So today was the memorial service for my friend Jon, who died almost two weeks ago in a freak gymnastics accident. The service was held at Jonas Gymnastics, where he worked and where the accident took place. It’s hard to have to keep saying good bye to someone – first when he actually left, then at his funeral and then again at his memorial. A part of me wanted to chuck it all and just party and have a good time and celebrate Jon’s life with laughter and… well, life. But there were a lot of people there that had not yet had a chance to properly say goodbye like I have and others have, so for them this was good. I think it was also good for those who have had to say goodbye other times because I believe it gets a little easier each time, at least I hope it does for those having trouble letting go.

The service was much more than I expected and very nicely done. We started with an opening speech from one of the gym owners, Jeff Jonas, followed by a playing of What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts. Then there was a reading of Psalm 23, followed by some more words and a Eulogy by my good friend Sasha, who did an upstanding job – I will get a copy of what he wrote and post it here for sure, because it was amazing. Jon’s girlfriend, Kris, also said some words about the man she loved. She told me it took her 5 days to write, and I said that was good, because you certainly don’t want to say you can write something like that in two hours. I will also try to obtain a copy of that, for the words she wrote down would convince anyone that she did indeed take 5 days to write them. Melanie Jonas then joined with her husband Jeff and together they dedicated a weeping cheery tree in Jon’s name, everyone lit a candle and we played Hurt by Christina Aguilera. Then Jon’s room mate Korey (Dizzle) threw on a huge fro wig of Jon’s, a nice bit of levity, and read a poem Jon had penned before his death. It reads:

I will be right here when times get tough,
I will be right here when the road ahead looks rough,
I’m staying and waiting till the day you come home,
I’ll be here no matter how far you may come.
If there’s trouble ahead and you can’t cope,
Just remember I’m here, it’ll give you some hope.
If you’re tired and hurt and your head is a mess,
And you can’t handle all of the stress,
Just remember I’m waiting with a smile on my face,
Sitting here patiently in our special place.
You have your journey and now you must face it,
And I have my path, I coldy embrace it.
Yet, soon enough, our day will come,
Our paths rejoined will be as one,
Everything from now until then,
Will be spilled from within this pen.
So just remember I am here,
Go with confidence and have no fear,
For I support whatever you do,
Through all of this our dreams will come true.

Final words by Melanie wrapped up the ceremony:

“It is said that the purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to have it make some difference that you lived at all. John mattered; he was productive; he made a difference in all of our lives”

– Jonas Gymnastics

After that everyone who had roses placed them before the tree. Food, refreshments and counselors were then provided inside the gym. I forgot my damn camera so I had to use my camera phone:

(I would like to mention that the signature board was full-up by the end of the service)

After the service while getting food I caught sight of Kris sitting all alone on the far side of the gym. Well that wouldn’t do. I knew she was still having a hard time so I went and sat with her for a while until some more people started to drift over to her and keep her company. After that I partook in the food and company and had a good time.