Shannon

I had to bring out the "shared" suit last Sunday. It was for me this time, not Number One. I was going to meet My Lovely Brides' second cousin, Shannon. We had never previously met. I had met his parents, Lynn (My Lovely Brides cousin) and her husband Keith and most of the other relatives on that side of the family that would also be in attendance. And, let me say, My Lovely Brides father, having had thirteen brothers and sisters, made for a rather large number of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Second Cousins, etc. But Shannon and I had never met.

I had heard stories of this young man. Number Four was not only related to him, but they were friends. He had come up to her in middle school, shortly after she moved back from New Jersey, and introduced himself by bounding up to her and saying "hey, we're related...somehow!" Number Four had no clue who this loud, happy, vivacious young male was. They become friends for a lifetime.

I knew he had entered the Marines after high school. I knew he had returned safely home to the loving arms of this large family. I knew he had moved last year out to the coast with some friends and was working and going to school there. Certainly a daunting task for any young person. But I knew as well it was the coast and how the sun drenched warmth of a Carolina beach could feel.

But Shannon and I had never met. Until last Sunday at Brookwood Church.

The church parking lot was literally overflowing. There was a large crowd milling about by the front door on this warm, sunny, beautiful Carolina afternoon. As we entered the front door of the church we met Uncle John. He greeted us warmly. It had been over a year since we had last seen him. His resemblance to my late father-in-law always brings a happy warm feeling to me. We continued on inside and got in line to enter the sanctuary.

So many people. So many young people. Pictures flashed on large screens above the filled room. Pictures of a happy child, from infancy through high school. I recognized other family members in these pictures flashing above our heads. A lifetime revealed. We continued to move forward. And there, standing in the front of the sanctuary we saw Cousin Lynn and her husband Keith. Standing in front of there twenty-four year old son's casket, stoically greeting this seemingly endless line of people. This is were I would finally meet Shannon.

My Lovely Bride embraced her cousin. Tears began to roll down my cheeks. We cried. We all cried. I cried for the parents, having to bury their child. I cried for the grandparents, having to bury their baby boy. I cried for family who would never again see that tremendous smile. I cried for the friends who had lost one of their own. I cried for Shannon. I wished so I had met him before.

At the end of the day I returned the suit to it's place in my closet. As I hung it up I quietly whispered to it, you'll come back out in a few weeks and you'll see. It will get better. Next is a wedding. I promise. We'll dance.