November 19th: And then there is death, to remind us that most things are trivial and to remind us of what is really important. It's hard to fathom elation when all you feel is rage and sickness, but beyond this world, what survives is just love and wisdom and the good, right?

Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not.

November 25th: My grandfather and his brother are two of the most respectable, decent, hardworking men I've ever met or encountered. I measure everyone else up against them, so of course it's hard to believe chivalry and integrity exist in my generation at all. My family was essentially a dual patriarchy led by them. The most important pillars: family, service, history, and doing the right thing. It's hard to imagine moving forward without my uncle, but when you witness 900 people waiting in line at church to pay their last respects, you realize that you're lucky to have known him and even luckier to call him a relative. I wish I could put the rest of my family in a one place so no one can ever get hurt again, but that isn't living. It's about how you treat other people in the end and the example you set for your siblings, children, and grandchildren. If I have a fraction of the character they have, I'll consider myself blessed with their genes. If I marry someone of their caliber, it will be because I know what I need to find. We don't understand why this happened, but we know we can live a good life if it's based on his....