I JUST took three days off from work to travel from New York to Jamaica to attend the funeral of a former classmate that I haven't seen since I left school 14 years ago. On the outside this seemed bizarre to many people but for me this is something that I had to do. This classmate I remember to be quiet and soft-spoken. I have never known him to say an angry word or get upset and I am one who would speak evil of the dead if there is evil to be said.
I heard a few years ago that he had become a police officer which totally surprised me given his demeanour. I wanted to visit him but he was stationed in a part of the island that I didn't frequent, so I didn't go, which I now regret.
When I heard of his brutal murder I was distraught for a long time. I couldn't fathom anyone having that much disdain for another human being, least of all, this person. As crazy as this may sound, I was hoping to hear that he had become a corrupt cop which would explain his untimely, brutal demise. Unfortunately, though not surprisingly, after speaking with his colleagues, I learned that he was the same soft-spoken, kind-hearted person that I knew.
I don't think he realised the impact that he had on so many lives. Now, he's gone and others and myself have not had the opportunity of sharing this with him. So to everyone, I say the following. Live every day as if it were your last. Let the people from your past and present know how important they were and are to you. Most importantly, enjoy life.
To the persons that committed this atrocity, I say the following. I feel nothing but ill-will towards you. However, I'm sure if he were still alive he would have pity on you and forgive you for what you have done. Know this, that not only have you taken this one beautiful life, but also, in the process, have killed a piece of hundreds of people's lives that he had affected.
