The Service

The service on Wednesday was a Mass of Christian Burial at La Grande's Catholic church. I thought it was a very nice service. There were three priests there and they all offered very consoling words to Anna and her family. At one point one of the priests said that there are some things that are just beyond human comprehension. I'm starting to agree with that now. It is still hard for me to understand how a man could be so tormeted with depression without anyone, not even his own wife, having a hint that something was wrong. He also said that we must find it within ourselves to forgive Dave, which I thought also was very wise. It's easy to be angry with Dave for being so "selfish" as to take his own life in a fit of despair when he leaves behind a family who must suffer as a result. But that invariably isn't the correct story and, as above, we may never truly understand.

I was teary-eyed throughout the whole service and then when I finally got a chance to talk to Anna I just let loose a torrent of tears. It was one of the saddest moments of my life. I don't think I even felt this way when my own grandparents died. Anna really is like family to me and it hurts me so much that she is suffering so tremendously. And I continue to be amazed by Anna's strength. I would have been a wreck throughout the whole thing, but Anna...

The small bit of good news is that Anna's established a David Mayes Memorial Scholarship Fund. You can read about it in the La Grande Observer obituary.

Goodbye, Dave. We will all miss you.