Lord Simeyon

 

Revered Elder of Ravenwood, Devoted Husband & Soulmate to Lady Gwendolyn, Beloved Father to Lisa and Illume, Cherished Grandfather to Lavender, Friend and Brother to so many, and Protector of All Things Feline

 

November 17, 1943 – December 11, 2007

 

To Lord Simeyon

Lady Larina, High Priestess

The House of RavenStone

 

The one thing I can say about Lord Simeyon is that he never changed. If you knew Lord Simeyon for ten minutes, ten years later he’d be the same Lord Simeyon. In fact, a lot of times it was as if time stood still for him. You’d run into him after you hadn’t seen him in awhile and he’d come up to you, beer can in hand, usually while you were already in the middle of another conversation and start talking to you about some strange thing that had happened long ago that you barely remembered that had made an impact on him. Only his version wouldn’t be quite the way you remembered it. And you’d have to hear it a few times before he’s get all the way through it because he’d stop somewhere along the way and then he’d have to start from the beginning all over again. Sometimes it didn’t even have the same people in it or the same end result, but don’t bother trying to tell him that! It was Lord Simeyon’s story at that point. A fond memory from his perspective that he had chosen to share with you. In fact if you could stop obsessing about the fact that it didn’t seem just quite right, you might even learn something. A glimpse of Lord Simeyon’s view of the world – pure, undistorted, and uncomplicated by all the games we play with our selves - the type of kitchen table wisdom most of us lack in our daily lives.

 

For that was Lord Simeyon in a nutshell: down-to-earth, unpretentious, and unassuming. His pleasures were simple ones – cheep beer, his old beat up pick up truck, his pride and joy ’57 Chevy, his daughter Lisa and granddaughter Lavender, his animals. In fact the only thing complicated I can think of that Lord Simeyon ever loved was Gwen. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I saw one without the other. Sometimes I used to think they were actually one person sharing two bodies. Two very different aspects of the personality mind you– like night and day, but one person nonetheless.

 

The thing that truly exemplifies Lord Simeyon’s spirit to me though is his love for cats. I commented earlier on Lord Simeyon’s creative memory when it came to the human realm. The same could not be said for his feline companions. He could tell you stories in exacting detail of cats they rescued twenty years ago, knew where every beloved friend was buried, and for as long as I can remember gave every waking moment of his life selflessly to their care, nurturance, and support. And I know that when he crossed over, he was greeted by those whom he had gently held as they took their last breaths in this realm.

 

Lord Simeyon was loving, steadfast, candid, and devoted to the people and ideals he loved. A true friend, a loving father, a cherished grandfather, a revered elder, a beloved soulmate - he will be missed. And yet, as he begins the next step of his soul’s journey and we are left with our memories and crippling sense of loss, let us not bind him to this place through our grief. Although you will be missed beyond words as you have touched our lives in so many ways, we will not hold you to this place.

 

Go with love Lord Simeyon. Dance well, dear one and come back to us so that we may meet and know and love again. So mote it be.