How a tragedy can effect so many different people.





You always see stories on the news and online

About a kid who is sick and a community that rallies around him.

But you never think that'll happen to you. You never think

That in your boring little town anything similar will happen.





Then it does.





And you find yourself in a strange place.

It's a place where you weren't very close to him like others

But you're still his friend.

And you still feel grief and you still want to help.

For your friend.





So you do.





You donate to a GoFundMe

Even though you didn't think you ever would.

You skip work to go to a rally

Where you paint your car's windows and pillars

With yellow and orange sayings which read

"#GarmoStrong," "Hero,"

and the number 32.

Just a part of 500 different cars

All organized by someone you never liked.

But you still participate

Happily.

For your friend.





Then you stand on a snow covered football field

Freezing your ass off

With a candle in your hand.

Listening to people you never liked talk about memories,

Then you realize

We're all friends.





We're all friends because we all were on that field in the cold

Keeping our candles alive.

Because we all cried together and hugged each other.

For your friend.





I guess I'm trying to say...

It's strange all of this.

And sad

That it takes someone's life to bring people together

And set differences and grudges aside

and all become friends.





For your friend.



