Shayne L. "Potsie" LaVoie

Sadly, on August 12, 2007, a beautiful young man slipped away from us.

This is a picture of my son, David, and his best friend Shayne. Shayne is on the right. It was taken on Parents' Weekend at the University of Vermont. David and Shayne went through school, together, including attending and graduating from UVM. They were roommates as well. They shared life, loves, laughs, heartache, everything together. I wish I had a better picture of the two of them; but this was the only one I had of Shayne. I'll have to check David's wedding pictures and upload a better one sometime. Shayne and his partner, Sharon, were taking a leisurely motorcycle ride not far from where they lived and taking a curve, collided with two bicyclists. Sharon escaped with cuts and bruises, one of the bicyclists is in critical condition and, unfortunately, Shayne lost his life at 31 years of age.

I felt like sharing this, with you, as this is one of the reasons I'm happy to be back to blogging. It helps to release some thoughts and feelings and this is kind of my tribute to Shayne. I loved him, I always will and it will be hard for Sharon, his family and friends to go on without him. But; knowing Shayne, like I do, I know he would want us to move on from this. A long time ago, I found this poem by Henry Scott Holland that I find comforting and fitting particularly knowing how Shayne thinks. I want to share it with you now:

Death is nothing at all.

I have only slipped away into the next room.

I am I, and you are you,

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by the old familiar name.

Speak of me in the easy way which you always used to.

Put no difference into your tone.

Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed

At the little jokes that we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household words that it always was.

Let it be spoken without an effort,

Without the ghost of a shadow upon it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same as it ever was.

There is absolute and unbroken continuity.

What is this death but a negligible accident?

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you, for an interval,

Somewhere very near,

Just around the corner.

All is well.