Do They Remember Her?

Yesterday, while I was driving more slowly on Route 309, Guns n Roses came on the radio. “Sweet Child of Mine” was the song. A great song it is!  Whenever I hear it I think of my daughter, Amy, who died in 1989. She loved Guns n Roses. Their name is on her headstone in Sky  View Cemetery, Hometown, PA.

A few months before her death, Dreams Come True Foundation sent her, her mom, and her best friend to California to meet Guns n Roses.  They got to spend several hours with them at a rehearsal. I am told that they treated Amy very well and were down to earth. Duff McKagan, bass guitarist, and his girlfriend took Amy under their wings.  That day was a thrill that Amy kept until her death a few months later.

Here’s my question. Do they remember her?  On a quiet Sunday afternoon, do any of them, out of the blue think about that day in 1989 when that sweet girl from Tamaqua came to visit. Probably not. But I’d like to think so. I know that every now and then a memory will pop into my head of some kid I hadn’t seen since fourth grade.  So, it could happen to Axl or Slash or Duff too, I suppose.

I remember I read a book one time whose premise was interesting. The writer’s thought was that after we die, we remain “alive” as a soul as long as there is someone still living that remembers us.  As soon as that last person dies, our soul ceases to exist.  I’m not saying that I believe this, but wow, what a concept.

So, bringing it all back to Amy, does it matter if Guns n Roses remembers her? I don’t think so. What matters is that she got to enjoy that three hour moment. That’s a good reminder to all of us to enjoy what we have while we have it. Maybe not just enjoy it but savor it and cherish it. Things change in an instant.

The Beatles come to mind again. “In My Life” . “There are places I’ll remember….some have gone and some remain… Lovers and friends I still can recall. Some are dead and some are living, In my life I’ve loved them all…..

I’ll write next after Thanksgiving. If you are with family that day, remember to enjoy, savor, and cherish!