Like roots that suck up water,
flourishing from the ground,
A love that fills you up,
you will feel draining down.
When the flowers fade
you are left standing with dry leaves,
Holding gray instead of color,
doubt instead of belief.
The hopes and the promises feel snatched,
plans all rearranged.
A timeline guarantee not given,
life for loss exchanged.
Sadness knows no fences,
there is no place it cannot go.
It’s brittle, it breaks and it crumbles.
It sits on our shoulders, it shadows.
Flowers won’t always fade,
faith tells us so,
But the waiting and the wondering and the wishing
leads happiness into sorrow.
When the flowers fade,
sit quietly next to me.
We can remember the love in color
and all that he would be.
In loving memory of my nephew, Thomas Paul Story, who we will always miss and love so much.
A lifelong resident of Perquimans County, he was born on September 20, 1999 and was the son of Samuel Paul and Rebecca Winslow Story. Employed as a welder with Norfolk Naval Shipyard, he was a member of Fountain of Life Church in Elizabeth City. He loved all things outdoors, hunting, fishing, riding, and being on the boat with family and friends. Other enjoyments included his membership in the Swampy Bottom Hunt Club.
Additional Reading Love is Like Cement
Memories of Thomas and tributes from family and friends can be found here: https://www.millerfhc.com/obituary/thomas-story
