These nineteen days have been the most difficult of my life so I deeply want to thank all of you who have made Lonnie's passing a bit easier by the incredible outpouring of your love and support. Mostly I am still speechless though some of you know that photography is my hobby -- one that Lonnie fully encouraged.
From the moment I fell to the ground when the State Trooper gave me the horrible news, I became incapable of making even an acceptable snap shot -- nor did I have any desire to do even that much. But my granddaughter will need memories of this time when her family gathered around her to lift her up in her pain and her silent wondering about how such a thing could even happen to the uncle she loved so much -- so I had to try.
Then, while visiting Lonnie's grave the afternoon of Halloween, I felt that familiar urge to make a picture. Not that I had brought a camera for such a visit mind you! Then I realized that I DID have the iPhone Lonnie had encouraged me to purchased and I hesitantly took it out of my pocket. At first, I just took a picture from a distance, but that style of photography is not my usual one so I moved in closer for the photo above.
Earlier in the week, my granddaughter Justice had visited Lonnie's grave with his partner Ellyn. Together they brought flowers, but Justice also wanted to place a crayon with her Uncle Lonnie. Suddenly, that little crayon grabbed my interest and this photo was made:
