Graduation day was a good day, bittersweet for sure, but upbeat. During the commencement ceremony I tuned out the rambling of the administrators for a few minutes, and took a freeze frame of our class. That group of people, I was certain, would never be completely together again. You know the drill-- some go off and become doctors, some lawyers, some street bums, and go wherever they may roam. There are reunions, of course, but not everyone shows. What I really wondered though is who wouldn't make it that long, who we would lose along the way.
Which brings us to now, almost exactly seven months later. Aline Martins realized my sad prediction on Monday, the sixteenth of February, 2009. The number of surviving '08 graduates is permanently one less.
I don't believe she was in the sea of purple gowns and yellow tassels that I scanned over in June, since she graduated in San Ramon. She was part of our class in spirit, though. I was with her from Alisal to Mohr, to Harvest Park, and into the Amador years. Having never been in many classes with her, I did not really know her well, but still can't help feeling remorseful at the loss. Life is sobering. From what I can gather, she was the type that countered that effect, a pleasant person to be around. She was a beautiful girl, and a beautiful soul. It is a likely thesis that the good die young. Here's more proof.
We will continue. We will continue to work towards becoming doctors and lawyers, or whatever we are each working towards. Regardless of whether we knew her well or not, our lives have been affected, if not minutely, by her death. It will be one less name on the list of guests at the first reunion, one more photo on the formidable wall.
To her family; her parents and brothers, and those who were closer friends than I: I am sorry for your loss. We all lose those close to us eventually, and must move to accept it. It is unfortunate that Aline's passing was so soon. She will be missed, I'm sure.
A toast to Aline Martins.
I will note that in anticipation (optimistic, yet cautious) of the future, I will try to provide a note such as this for everyone I outlast.
Current Mood: Distant
Listening To: "Into the Blue" by Moby
4 comments:
Kudos. Aline was beautiful. We'll miss her.
Aline is my sister and thanks for writing this man means a lot .
Sure thing man.
I was a friend of Aline at John Robert Powers, I went to IPOP with her, she was my crush, and to find out a year later she passed away made me really sad, she was a kind person and said nice things to me, I just wished someone was there to help her. Well I can say she will be alive again one day...not in the flesh, but in spirit. We gotta look out for eachother, anything could happen...
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