On Saturday, March 31st my friend Monte passed away. He was an honorary grandfather to my son, and my friend Tammy’s dad, Shirley’s husband; a good man.

He wrote a poem that descibes how Shirley, Tammy, Rick and all of us feel today. The poem is called:

RAINDROPS AND TEARDROPS, by Monte Shockman

Those raindrops and teardrops that fall to the ground
Each tell their story and make different sounds
Rain can fall softly to water the earth
Like tears of joy over a mother’s new birth
But rain can fall heavily in a flood from above
As tears that are shed over the loss of one loved
Raindrops bring flowers of varying hues
A raindrop or teardrop may both look the same
But one is sweet and one is bitter in life’s hard refrian
Together we walked in soft summer raindrops
Never thought we be shedding any sad teardrops
Riding on dreams under a bright shining rainbow
Despite some tears, love never lost its glow
But now my cup’s filled from a barrel of tears
Over the loss of my darling (friend) of so many years.

We will miss you Monte.