Ken Keate suggested I re-post this item at Scots Pride. When I posted originally on my page, it was something quite personal, and I never realized the reaction it would get. Ken suggested that it would be a suitable item for this group, that highlights the role of mentors--and how important they can be (especially given that GLBTQ people generally cannot rely on their blood families to fill such a role), while other readers reacted to the importance of never forgetting those who went before, especially those who fought and lost the battle against HIV and AIDS in those very dark years. --Tim Davis 90 Just before leaving my hometown in Arkansas for college, I met John Woodfield. Although we spent little time together, through letters and the occasional visit, we developed a surprisingly deep relationship. John truly was a mentor. He showed me that even living in AR, being gay was not something to fear, and that a love between two men was beautiful, not shameful. John was taken by the scourge of AIDS in 1999. Since that time, on my visits home, memories of his warmth and joyfulness often returned. Recently, I have felt that there was unfinished business. I had never taken the chance to truly say goodbye, and I had recently rediscovered where he had been buried. So today, I headed into the piney woods 20 miles from town to a remote country church on a dirt road. It was more emotional that I expected. Despite being a small, decently maintained cemetery, at first I couldnt find his familys plot. Just as I began to wonder if I had the wrong information, I found it. Unlike the rest, Johns marker was nearly covered in crabgrass. I began to clean out the area, and realizing I didnt have the tools to do the job properly, I used what I could find--my hands, some soda, and napkins from the car. I began to cry as I realized the importance of it all. Even though others may have made a different choice, I will never forget you, John Woodfield.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 17:53:56 +0000
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