Later into the nineties, amid the absolute worst moment in my small, predictable life, I found comfort in a guitar-and-strings ballad by an alt-punk band whose sound was usually crass and boisterous. It was called Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life). Frank and I have always equated this song to our loss of Mary. It’s not necessarily because of the lyrics; the melody is a melancholy sound that seems fitting for her very short, bittersweet life. I guess, when Billy Joe sings 'I hope you had the time of your life,' it’s equal to the hope that she was happy and that she knew she was loved and that she knew how very much she meant to so many people. I’ve written at length about losing Mary. Every time I think about it I am reminded what a gift I’ve been given, having been surrounded by people who love me pretty much unconditionally. When she was here, and though I didn’t know it, she made sure that I knew I had value and that I mattered. That’s who Mary was, after all. Her mark will always be on me. I hope her children, and everyone else whose lives she impacted, always have her mark as well.
From the historical writing archive. Original date: December 3, 2018. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.