In April 1993, our family lost a shining star at age 18, my niece, April. Despite the years, we all miss her acutely. A lifelong dancer, she had embraced the cause of hunger and homelessness in our country and worked for these causes. We are poorer for her loss, but know that others share the issues and delights she found so worthy in her life. I never remember the exact date - my home burned the second week of April the same year - but April never goes by without thoughts of her so close to my heart... Her obit and picture hang by my computer reminding me daily of how fragile and fleeting life can be...

Here's to you, darlin'... I never forget...

For A Dancer
by Jackson Browne

Keep a fire burning in your eye
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down

I don't remember losing track of you
You were always dancing in and out of view
I must have thought you'd always be around
Always keeping things real by playing the clown
Now you're nowhere to be found

I don't know what happens when people die
Can't seem to grasp it as hard as I try
It's like a song I can hear playing right in my ear
That I can't sing
I can't help listening
And I can't help feeling stupid standing round
Crying as they ease you down
'cause I know that you'd rather we were dancing
Dancing our sorrow away
(right on dancing)
No matter what fate chooses to play
(theres nothing you can do about it anyway)

Just do the steps that you've been shown
By everyone you've ever known
Until the dance becomes your very own
No matter how close to yours
Another's steps have grown
In the end there is one dance you'll do alone

Keep a fire for the human race
Let your prayers go drifting into space
You never know what will be coming down
Perhaps a better world is drawing near
And just as easily it could all disappear
Along with whatever meaning you might have found
Don't let the uncertainty turn you around
(the world keeps turning around and around)
Go on and make a joyful sound

Into a dancer you have grown
From a seed somebody else has thrown
Go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own
And somewhere between the time you arrive
And the time you go
May lie a reason you were alive
But you'll never know


Love always from your auntie.

Such beautiful rememberances. The tree, there are no words to how beautiful and symbolic it is to those dancers.

beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU1rZa8Ur_Q&mode=related&search=

Love the poetry , songs.WOW!THE TREE DOES LOOK LIKE A DANCER

For the dancers.. Hold me closer tiny dancers

Donswife, that is a beautiful variation.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bobcat,

I know most of you are familiar with the story of Footprints in the Sand.
Last September I lost an uncle to cancer. He had a wonderful personality and was another great dancer.
It just so happened that around the same time I heard an alternate Footprints story, and it seems appropriate to share it here.

The name of the person doesn't really matter - we can use Uncle Joe or we can use April. Anyway, upon arrival in Heaven, this beloved person requested an audience with The Lord.
"Yes my child, do you have a question for me?"
"Yes, Lord, I do. I know you have been with me all of my life, walking beside me mostly, but carrying me when things got too difficult. I know this because I can look now and see the footprints in the sand. But Lord, right there at the end, it's all fuzzy and messy and not in a straight line at all! What's up with that?"
And The Lord threw back his head and laughed long and loud. "Oh, my beautiful child. That's when we were DANCING!"

That says it all Mom's Buddy. I know you will miss her always.