In Memory of Mallory

I never even met Mallory, but I feel like I have known her forever. Mallory was 18 and a month away from high school graduation when she was killed last week in a car accident. She was the daughter of a nursing school classmate. I haven't been able to put it out of my mind since it happened. I can't even begin to imagine what her parents are feeling right now...the excitement of a beautiful daughter soon to graduate and begin college in a few months...shattered in an instant. I think I would be catatonic right now. Today instead of planning a graduation party, they had her funeral.

I received the following poem via email several months ago; it really left an impact on me; I thought it was appropriate:


If tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,
While thinking of the many things, We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,
And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye, For all my life,
I'd always thought, I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the fun we shared,
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you and maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories, would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity, And all I've promised you.
Today your life on earth is past, but here life starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow, But today will always last,
and since each day's the same way,
There's no longing for the past.

You have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things,
You knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven, and now at last you're free.
So won't you come and take my hand, and share my life with me?"

So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me, I'm right here, in your heart.