After my brother's death, we walked through his room where he spent most of his last three years of his life and noticed on the wall a page from a magazine. It was an ad with the caption, "Happiness is not just around the corner." This had an extremely profound meaning for me because, for the last few months, and years and maybe forever, I have been on a search for my own personal meaning of life and quest for happiness. I guess I must be a pretty happy person compared to him. For as Solzhenitsyn once said, "Happiness is but another idol in the market place."
Another thing I learned form my brother who I never knew was, that he was a classic example of what happens to someone who isn't nurtured. They fail to thrive and slowly fade away. Of course there was something inherently missing in Wayne that he couldn't overcome this and evidently succumb to it. And so I will make it my life's mission to encourage and nurture all , starting with my husband Jim and our relationship. But especially my children who are not only my life, but the meaning of life. And most important I will nurture myself, so I can love and have some kind of positive influence on all those who are in my life. For to me, this is what happiness is all about, being able to give and receive love.
And so to you dear Wayne, even though I never knew you, you taught me life's most important lesson. And I will be eternally grateful. Maybe that is why the Source of all put you here. To teach me and everyone else who wants to learn what exactly the meaning of happiness is to them.
Your sister, who will meet you on the other side,
Shelly