Thankful: Day 73

Today I attended the funeral of a friend of mine from high school.

He left behind a wife and three small children and my heart has been so broken for the family.

Justin was a true friend. He liked everyone as far as I knew and if he didn't like everyone, he sure hid it well because he was kind to everyone all the time.

He was funny. So very funny. And he was passionate. He was passionate about his drumming and about sports and about his friends. One example of his passion for sports was Moore War senior year. We thought we were going to win and the excitement was thick. But we lost...  He cried. I watched him sit there and cry real tears, ya'll. It sounds silly, but we were ALL crying. I never saw him cry before that and I never saw him cry again.

He was a great friend. He put a smile only my face every day during high school. He made awkward moments more survivable.

For example:  I had a boyfriend in 11th grade and we were pretty serious as far as high school relationships go. I thought I would marry him. But, then I thought I wouldn't marry him and I broke up with him. Since we went to the same church and the same school, things got awkward often...especially in math class senior year when we ended up sitting next to each other. Thankfully Justin was near us as well.  He engaged us both in conversation and had us laughing in class so much that we forgot any animosity that was felt between the two of us.  In fact, we talked and laughed so much in that class that I'm lucky I even made a C.

Besides being funny, he had a serious side. He sincerely cared about his friends. He wanted to do whatever he could to make them feel better and cheer them up.

I will never forget the football game where he spent all his free time talking to me. I don't remember the conversation, but I remember the subject matter. I couldn't figure out what I wanted and I didn't want to look like a fool. I couldn't identify my true feelings, but Justin spent the entire break during 3rd quarter to talk me through my "crisis". He gave up laughing and cutting up with his buddies to talk to me and find out why I was so blue.

A friend like Justin doesn't come around every day.

He will be dearly missed by so many and I am thankful for the moments of true friendship I shared with Justin "Wang" Waganer.

High school would not have been the same without you, friend. Not by a long shot.