Today was a hard day.
It was time for everyone to have a sigh of relief at the cost of some loss of hope, a pang of regret of what could have been, with the pleasures of memories of Dan “the man” Zamlen. As I am sitting here late at night still trying to get a handle on all the events that have taken place and all the emotions that been felt over the last 24 hours it is overwhelming.
I would like to consider myself a religious or pretty self-aware person. I was reaching out for someone or something at this late hour to kind of work through my thoughts. I turned to one of things that I learned at a YMCA camp in Mukwanago WI. It is a bible verse from the Gospel of Luke 2:52, to be exact. One of the questions we have to face soon is how do we move on and try and get back to an appearance at least, of a normal life. If we are students we have finals coming up soon. If you are non-students life is just piling up around you. The other question that is quickly follows is how do we move on but remember Dan and make sure that people never forget him. Going back to Luke 2:52. It is one of my favorite biblical quotes and stories. It is one of the only passages where we see Jesus as a child, like we are. The verse says ” …And Jesus increased in Wisdom and Stature favor with God and Man.”
What does that have to do with anything. I am still not ok or content with my emotins and everything. I do have an idea of how I am going to start working through those questions. How do you get back to a normal life?~ Life will never be quite the same without Dan. But Dan would have wanted us to go back to class do well and stay active and be a positive change in the world around us like he was. As far as how do we commemorate Dan and never for get him. Follow the scripture advice to answer both questions. Show that Dan will never be forgotten by us living up to his high standards that he had for himself as well as making a positive change in the world around us. As far as getting back to a normal life for many it won’t be too hard for many however it will be a long hard journey. As long as we grow everyday in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man we will be making one more step to getting back to a sense of normal as well as living out the ideals Dan would have. One thing that is no constolation for Dan in the flesh is the idea that we all now have our own personal gaurdian angel looking over us. We will be joining you one day soon DAN THE MAN, eh.
God Bless. Please keep Dan and his Family & Friends in your Prayers
~GS