Death is such an inevitable part of life that it seems we should all be more comfortable with it. However no matter how much I experience personally, it still shocks, still hurts, and still leaves you wondering why. I got a call this morning, around 4:30, from my dad, the call that no one ever wants to get from anyone, "There has been an accident." My cousin was in a car accident this morning with several other people and he is dead. This hurts a lot for many reasons and I'll explain.
To understand completely, you have to know that my younger brother is adopted. He has always been my brother and he always will be my brother. Even more than that he would have been my cousin anyway so he is not only my brother but he is my blood too. Josh and I grew up doing everything together. We are only 5 months apart and when we were younger I used to remind him of that fact all the time, especially during those five months that I was numerically a year older than him. My earliest memories of life are of the two of us playing together. We were always around each other which led to fights, sometimes with each other, sometimes for each other. We also had those times when we so enjoyed being with each other that nothing could tear us apart. I love him so dearly that I would do anything for him. I love all my brothers so much that I would give my life for them without so much as a thought otherwise.
Josh knew as we were growing up that he was adopted because my parents always told him the truth. He just accepted it that way until he was about 10 and then he started asking questions. My parents always were going to tell him everything he wanted to know when he asked so they sat him down one morning and told him everything they knew. His birth mother is one of my aunts on my dad's side of the family. She was 15 when she had him and my parents offered to raise him, so that's what happened. For a while he pretty much just kept it to himself but eventually he wanted his half-brother Cody to know the truth so he told him.
My dad's side of the family pretty much all live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Most of them, lived in Cambridge while we were growing up, and we visited several times a year so when we were there we got to see everyone and really form bonds with most of our cousins. In fact most of them lived in the same neighborhood as my grandparents so we could walk to all of their houses whenever we wanted while we were there. We've lived in Maryland for the past 16 years and most recently lived on the Eastern Shore for the past two and a half years so we've been able to see them more than ever.
Josh, for many years, has had a special relationship with Cody and spent time with him whenever he could. Cody died this morning and when I heard, the first thing I asked was if Josh knew yet. I love him so much and I don't want him to hurt and I'm sure it does because it hurts me. I'm going to miss Cody, his antics, his sense of humor, and his personality. I hope those of you who haven't experienced death in a personal way don't ever have to. More than likely you will experience the death of a close friend or family member and there is a reason for hope. Jesus Christ came and died for our sins so that all we have to do to have eternal life is believe in him. We have hope for the future as Christians and if you don't know Christ then ask me and I will tell you all I know.
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