THE MESSAGE:
LOSING A CHILD
School shootings have been well documented. Whether the shooter was a victim of loneliness, maltreatment, mental issues,
poverty, lack of role models, desire for notoriety, low self-esteem or other
deprivations, these events have resulted in far too many parents suffering the horrible pain
of losing of a child.
Other tragedies occur when a mother kills
her children because of the terrible feeling of being abandoned or betrayed by
a partner. Perhaps some of these murders are the result of the despair a mother
feels when she believes there is no escape from her desperate situation.
A Detroit mom, Mitchelle Blair, 36, was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole after pleading guilty to killing her 13-year-old daughter in 2012 and 9-year-old son in 2012
"As horrendous as everybody thinks I am that's fine," Blair told the court, as she lashed out against one of the fathers of her children who filed an impact statement with the judge.
Yet another tragic event is the pain experienced by expectant parents because of the death of their unborn child. One can only imagine their grief.
My wife and I have experienced the pain of losing a beautiful child and human being. Stefanie’s life was cut short by many unforeseen developments. Every member of our extended family felt her loss. She was a talented bright light, a wonderful mother and a beloved daughter.
I talk to her every day. I am no longer a
practicing Catholic, and my faith has been shaken; however, I often visit a church, light a candle in her
memory and say a prayer to her. Elton John’s song, Candle in the Wind, with the
beautiful background choir inspires me and expresse the depth of my feelings for
her.
STEFANIE AND HER CHILDREN
STEFANIE AND HER CHILDREN
I have taken the liberty to change some of Bernie Taupin’s lyrics. I sing them to myself while the song plays.
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| LYRICS BY BERNIE TAUPIN |
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| MUSIC BY ELTON JOHN |
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Goodbye Stefanie
Though I never knew you well at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you smiled
They crawled out of the woodwork
And they whispered into your brain
They set you on the treadmill
And they made you change your name
chorus:
And it seems to me you lived your
life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
I should have known you better
But my mind was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
Loneliness was tough
The toughest role you ever played
Indecision created a superstar
And pain was the price you paid
Even when you died
Oh your spirit still hounded me
All my memories had to say
Was that Stef was soaring free
(repeat chorus)
Goodbye Stefanie
Though I never knew you well at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you smiled
Goodbye Stefanie
From a man in year seventy-five
Who sees you as something more than
wild
More than just a beloved child
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
I should have known you better
But my mind was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
THE QUESTION:
WHY?
THE ANSWER:
THE LAUREL:
I thank Elton John for creating his inspirational music.
THE QUOTE:
“Sadly enough, the most painful goodbyes are the ones that are left unsaid and never explained.”
- JONATHAN HARNISH
Envision a blend of a mentally ill mind with unsurpassed resiliency and fiery intellect and your result would be the brilliant Jonathan Harnisch. An all-around artist, Jonathan writes fiction and screenplays.
THE CLIP:
1 comment:
Such a beautiful way of sharing your pain, Tony. I remember Stefanie as a beautiful child, a beautiful young woman, and like the rest of your family, an amazing person. Thank you for reminding me of the angel whose physical being you have lost, but whose spirit stays with you, in your heart and in your memory.
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