Dear Friends
(recited by Richard's Dad, Lloyd on 10/25/98)

Dear Friends: go ahead and mention our child, the one that died, you know.

Don't worry about hurting us further, the depth of our pain doesn't show.

Don't worry about making us cry, we're already crying inside.

Help us to heal by releasing the tears that we're trying to hide.

We're hurt when you just keep silent, pretending he didn't exist.

We'd rather you'd mention our child, knowing that he has been missed.

You ask us how we're doing; we say "Pretty Good" or "Fine"

But healing is something ongoing; we feel it will take us a lifetime.