Today at about 5:20 p.m.

[pecwae]

eight years ago my son's life was wiped out in an auto accident. Through these years I've come to disagree with the saying "time heals all wounds." Time will never heal this wound I carry in my soul. Although the grief softens over time, it does not heal.

I'm writing messages to my son on helium balloons and will release them this afternoon with my daughter. A site I setup a few months after his death is still online, but I haven't had the heart to update it. The link is in my profile here. My wish is that just one person here would take a minute to read it and know that my precious son once walked this earth, he lived and breathed and loved and laughed, then his light was extinguished and my heart broken, my life changed forever. All in the space of less than 5 minutes.

He would be 30 now. He may have had a family. I may have had a grandchild. All I know is that on this day the pain is still so fresh, I feel physically ill, my emotions are in turmoil. I feel like an observer of life, not a participant.

[bertha katzenengel]

1. I read about Aaron.

:hug:

[pecwae]

2. Thank you, bertha

I appreciate that more than you can ever know.:hug:

[livetohike]

3. My heart is breaking with you pecwae, as I just visited your site

for your son. You knew he was an old soul. You will be together again, this is my belief......and I also believe he is watching over you.

:hug: in sympathy pecwae. Your son will live forever in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

[pecwae]

4. Oh, lth, thank you.

Your reading about my precious son means so much to me. Thank you for taking the time to do that and, yes, he was an old soul. It is my belief as well that I'll be reunited with him one day. This gets me through these days. :hug:

[flamingyouth]

5. I'm thinking of you today

Just visited your son's memorial page, which is lovely. I wish I could say something to help ease your pain. :( All I can offer is my sincere condolences and a hug. :hug:

[pecwae]

6. Thank you too, fy.

I sincerely accept your condolences and hug. You truly helped me today.

The three of you who took time from your daily schedules to read my Aaron's page made today more tolerable for me. Knowing that all of you got to know my baby just a little and see that he did make a mark of love on this world holds me in my grief. I can never repay the generosity you have all shown me this day.

[havocmom]

7. Strength to you, pecwae. Know his passing has been noted by many

Know there is a pool of strength for you to draw from.

Know the guest book at the site you built for him has messages.

Good energy to sustain you. The loss is too great to bear alone.

The idea of messages on balloons made me smile. What a lovely idea. I may do that with my sister when next we meet. Messages to her son too. It is a lovely idea.

Strength to you. We are here. Most are willing to answer a PM anytime you need to vent or just call upon an unmet friend.

[pecwae]

8. Thank you and I do draw strength from all of you

My daughter and I wrote our messages yesterday on 8 blue star shaped heliums and let them go one by one. It was a beautiful day on the beach at Jordan Lake. He loved the water; water of any kind. We lay and watched the balloons until we could no longer see them. I know he heard us, saw us and smiled.

[auntAgonist]

9. pecwae..

thinking of you and your daughter at this time. What a beautiful memorial site you have for Aaron. I love the idea of helium balloons with messages.

:hug:

aA