A Smile Forever Yours

The following was a Eulogy I had to write a few years ago. It was for a young lady who tragically lost her life through her involvement with drugs. She was 22 and only a couple of months away from graduation with a double major from UMASS. She will always be a significant part of what drives me to work with the youth and young adults of this generation. To never let another slip away...so much potential, so much we lost...

A Smile Forever Yours
By Dean P. Remy

Thank you all for coming to share the hardness of this period in our lives, the emptiness of a loved one no longer near, the memories of our lives impacted by someone I do hope that you have met.

Jessica… We’ll always know you as the one with the most beautiful smile that, even when you were down, would be as the morning sun breaking the horizon. How many times had we seen that smile of yours bursting at the seams at a youth event, a family cookout or just when “hangin” with friends you cherished. That smile, unbeknownst to you, warmed people of every background and belief to the very nature and loving acceptance of Christ. That smile was not a façade as it is to many in today’s world but a mere extension of your very self to another. I can only imagine that God will greet us in heaven with a smile much like yours.

Jessica… We’ll always remember your intellectual desire to understand God, man and truth. To not be afraid to question yourself and others as to “what” and “why” and “how.” I personally will always remember the “too numerous to count” conversations we had discussing both “faith” and “futures.” The honesty with which you strove to answer these questions is one in which I wish more Christians practiced. I remember our Youth Group “Open Forums” sessions during which teens would dig into the most difficult of topics and study differing viewpoints and then see where scripture would lead. You were never afraid to take the spiritually and emotionally challenging topics for yourself. Many adults today avoid doing what you found so natural to do.

Jessica… We’ll never know, for certain know, until we stand before God in his perfect revelation just how many lives you impacted during your time here with us. I know of at least one young lady today whom you befriended who today is the wife of a pastor of a start-up church, finished her own schooling at a Christian college and, who is today building the children’s-church program at the church they co-founded. This is a life once impacted with drugs and a desire to end it all that was turned around to one impacted by faith and hope. This is a life into which you injected your very being. The impact of this we see today. We see it in the lives of many of those children with whom she now works. They will never have to suffer from the things that once caused her to suffer. This is but one life into which you obeyed God’s call and loved.

Jessica… We’ll never forget sitting atop of “The Wall.” For those who may not remember or have been privy to this, “The Wall” was a very direct play for youth and by youth. It depicted a wall behind a local High School where teens would congregate, for reasons of all types. To fight, …to question, …to cry. You played an important role in both this production and the follow-up one “Tearing Down the Wall.” I think that there was something about this place that epitomized you. You existed with your sword, your head and your heart. And all three were important parts of you.

Jessica… We’ll never know, for certain know how we may have reached out to you more, listened more, advised more, given more. We also know we may not ever receive answers to the questions that remain. Including the most difficult one of…..”why?” We may come to realized that the answer lies somewhere in between. The question of a life cut short and a life set free. The question of understanding or blindly accepting. The question of why you and not me.

Jess… I think the answer can be found in this. We should endeavor to seek God’s truth and not be afraid to admit we don’t know all of the answers. God appreciates our honesty far more than our pride. He’ll meet us where we are. We should strive to lovingly accept those who may be difficult to love and not be afraid to inject ourselves into their lives. God himself alone knows the final chapter and rewards of our investment. We should ourselves be prepared to fight,…to question,…to cry. Fight for the things that God considers worthy of battle. Question the things that don’t line up with God’s word and seek answers when we may not have one. To cry. Cry for the things that break God’s heart. Not be afraid of opening ourselves up to the pain of others.

Jess… And finally…to smile. To make evident the joy of knowing that there is a God in heaven. To demonstrate the unexplainable acceptance of Jesus open arms to all. To break the darkness as the morning sun does the horizon. We should smile. We should smile with the same smile that God the father will be giving us when we join Him in Glory. To smile, with the same smile that was truly yours. The smile we will forever know and hopefully share with others too.