Just a Farmer (So You Say) The Story of a Man Named Ray

He was just a farmer (so you'd say)

Many of you knew a man named big Ray.

He was larger than life in more than one way.

His wisdom and life experience superceded men of all sizes.

When it came to luck there wasn't much to be had for prizes.

I met Ray as a small child.

My first memory was he saved a bunny from being killed by a haybine on my grandpa's farm in the wild.

To me he was a giant.

Politically speaking Ray wasn't afraid to be defiant.

But he was just a farmer (so you say)

He told me impressive stories of his youth.

One that stands out was he able to bat baseballs onto the high school roof.

Ray could have been a pro football player.

Honestly he could have been anything from an inventor to mayor.

But he was just a farmer (so you say)

As an adult I got the honor of working with Ray.

This allowed us to talk deeper about life in an adult way.

He was truly there for me when nobody in family was not.

His door was always open if I was having a troubling thought.

But he was just a farmer so you would say.

You who are related to him will hopefully have your own cherished stories about Ray.

Conversations were never short.

They could vary of subjects of any sort.

Long before Google there was a man named Ray.

If you asked him a question 

He always had something insightful to say..

But he was just a farmer (so you say)

Life was never truly easy for a man named Ray.

Anybody that thinks farming is a lazy man's work or easy

should ask his nephews about stories that probably would make your stomach queazy.

I don't know what I'm supposed to do

When I have questions about life

Or just having a bad day.

He definitely had a way about him that made life better.Words will never describe how deeply he will be missed.

But he was just a farmer (so you say)

At the end of the day

Much more than "just a farmer"

Was a man named Ray Baker"

May his memories live with us forever.

My friend I never got to meet

My Friend I never got to meet.

David, you are my friend that I never got to meet.

I'm sure our paths have crossed several times.

Had they intersected I'm sure we would have had a great time.

Perhaps we could have took our dogs out to the woods or water.

Perhaps we would have sat down and had a chat. 

I'm sure we would have had some answers to the world's problems.

In the recent days I got to know you in a way that I wish it didn't have to be so.

I got to see all these pictures of a handsome man

A young man stolen from this Earth far too soon.

You lived a life that I'm quite envious of.

You did a lot of travelling

You seen majestic places

You touched people's lives around you.

Especially your brother Mathew and your mother.

All of your siblings had a special place in your heart.

You created  3 beautiful lives of your own

I'd have been glad to call you "my brother"

Thankfully to both you  Matthew and your mother I have THE greatest soul in a dog I've ever known.

I have a strange feeling you could have helped me with my dream of doing some travelling in my old school bus that I plan to turn into an RV.

I wish that I could have given you some older brother advice from somebody who's been through some very dark places in my life.

I wish I could have given you the hope that you needed.

There are many struggles through life.

What one person may deem petty

The next may take to heart.

The truth is nobody knows exactly what the person right next to them may be going through.

One thing I can say is you were loved very much so and you are missed.

For now you are my friend that I have not met yet.

A Mother's Love

There exists no love quite like a mother's love for her child.

In Nature we see it

From a Dog to her pup

To that young first time mom.

A mother has a different love for each of her children.

Different but the same.

The main common denominator is protection.

A mother wants nothing more than to protect her child.

Protect them from harm

Shield them from evil

Sometimes even protect them from themselves.

A mother's love is eternal.

It starts before their child is born

Continues unwavering through their life

And I believe stays with you universally.

A mother's love is forgiveness

Us young and old are bound to make mistakes big and small.

A mother's love will find a way to forgive it and make it better.

In the game of life your mother is your number one fan.

A mother's love is  strength and encouragement.

Just when you think you can't do it

Here comes mother's voice to say 

"Yes you can"

A mother's love can also be silent

There's the unspoken love we feel.

In summation there exists No other love quite like a mother's love for her own,

Whether this be by blood or not.