You Are Alive with Me

Clad in a dark suit, a little black bow, walked in heavy steps, probably a heavier heart. They were only married for an year but as he tells, "Known each other since ever." Right from the Kindergarten days, to high school, to their eventful prom night, and they got married on the 2nd of April last year. But now she was no more. A stroke, two minutes later, she left for the Abode above. Today was the funeral ceremony of Mac and Catherine. They were inseparable, as their friends echoed, probably never required the need to tell each other those coveted three words-Yes they loved each other! Mac stood up, walked in to the aisle and got ready to say his bit- his last farewell to his love, before the entire town ( Catherine was the most lovable girl in town). Even the trees and birds seemed to resonate with the grief-stricken mood of the town.
The church was bedecked with lovely white blossoms, freshly plucked and each single person, adorned the black garment.
"Today is the worst day of my life," began Mac, as he let go off the war that was waging between his tear glands and his mind.
" Today is the day of the completion of our anniversary, our very first and you promised me you would be here. You broke it!
I still remember you, only younger. Your eyes were as beautiful as the dark ocean, laden with secrets. The greenish outline reminded me of the fairies of childhood. Yet now I stand in a world devoid of you, a Catherine-less world.
Your never ending shield of hair reminded me of the dark clouds manifesting a program for respite. The way you pranced about, the way you smiled, melted many a heart, as it certainly did mine. Yet now I stand in a world, where those smiles are but memories, those walks are but a thing of the past.
I had my own share of bad luck and ego. I broke down, tried to hurt others but you calmed me down. Every cell of your body seemed to be oozing with life more than blood, a stature so calm, so full of patience. Yet now I stand here, before your motionless frame," a tear trickles down, and he breaks down in agony. "O' please be awake, wake up my darling, o please wake up."
He had stood there motionless for 10 minutes when she died in his hands, unable to accept the sharp thrust of truth. Someone tried to comfort him. He retorted," No, I must finish this, I must!", squeaked he, rising up from his knees.
He resumed, "We promised each other a lot of things. The comfort in your hugs, will forever be cherished, by me, by your friends ,by all who got the honor of being hugged by you. Yet now I stand here, in desperate need for a hug, and you lying there, unmoved.
You saved me from the fire, you rescued me that day of our prom night, when it should have been me. A heart of gold, that's what you had, and its so unfortunate that that heart has stopped. Doctors used to call you, as your friendly, caring nature helped many a patient in their death bed, to laugh a bit. And yet I stand here on this day, with them in the seats, as I still search for you.
You were a hero in every sense. A champion in your gymnastics, you wheezed through in your SAT's, even managed to outsmart me in a field I thought I was the best. Humility, love and all the qualities of nature were infused in the right portions in you- a perfect human being you were amongst us, God had indeed made you in his spare time. Yet you are no more.
We shouldn't mourn over our loss on this day, although its really impossible to come to terms with it. I ask of the people of this town to celebrate a life, to celebrate Catherine McClaren, to celebrate the life and times of a girl who stood against odds, who inspired us, who made us believe in life and most important of all , made us happy to the core.
I still find you in my dreams, my dear and I will always do. As of today, you live and die with me. My memories of you will never fade and I will speak of your stories to all, that there was a girl, a lady who stood up to challenges in spite of knowing that she would die. A warrior guised as a girl, a dove from the Heaven above, my one and only love- Catherine.
You shall live through my eyes and make me believe, and I know it and by your words "Love never ends"!!" a gush of water sprouted from his eyes, as if a dam broke.
Mac walked down the steps as everyone, with tear-filled eyes, patted him as the entire town headed to the cemetery for the last rites before putting her to eternal sleep. The bands did play, unlike other days and every single child and adult gathered along. All did clap as the casket went, bidding goodbye to an angel. You see she was being celebrated, her life, her memories, she was alive in them. Mac didn't want to see her die. The ones that die never leave us- they live through us through our memories. Mac did see her, smiling at him, as perhaps Catherine would like to say to him : "You will be okay love. I will look on you."
In this short, twisted span of our life, instead of plotting against each other and scheming of ways to hurt, one must thrive to build memories with each other, cause when we die, it is but the memories that linger on to soothe us or hurt us. The choice is yours!!