How Does it Feel

It’s just hazy down here. I don’t know if it will rain or not and kind of don’t care. Linda is working at Younkers in Merle Hay Mall and is scheduled today. I’ll be taking her, then getting a haircut and paying bills. Just too much excitement!

We have new neighbors who were displaced by Katrina. She and her two children lived in New Orleans and we’re just getting to know them.

There is not much new on Evey’s case either. We just watch – hope – pray – write – read – talk – console – grieve – meet – repeat over and over. I wish that there was some finality to it. It is kind a kind of thing where you don’t want to encourage sympathy or pity – you’ve already had that; it was a comfort to us then – it doesn’t help now and we don’t need any more of it.

Empathy does work; the kind of empathy that we’re getting from our Victims Group and others who have sent us e-mails who have gone through similar situations. The words, “I understand”, have taken on a new meaning for us when they are spoken by someone who has had a similar loss.

We just want to get on with our lives but it seems that we both move slowly through a black endless tunnel daily. I just wish that it would all go away. We know that she is in the eternal arms of the Lord, perhaps that should be enough for us but it just seems not to cut it.

We think that we know exactly who is responsible for her death. We don’t know exactly how it happened, the reasons why, or who actually killed her. Time will tell – we hope – we pray.

We don’t want any kind or reparation or revenge, just an acknowledgement from society about what happened so that perhaps other families and their children won’t get into the same situation. Only then can we allow Evey’s spirit to be at rest in our hearts and we can say, “We’re sorry honey. We’ll love and treasure you always.”

Love, Richard and Linda
(exerpted from a letter to one of my best friends - e-mail comments if you wish)