Engagement News ....

From Cheryl Poth :)

I left Kingston three years ago for the second time having spent two decades doing three degrees there. I think I gave Mike a run for his money related to number of degrees from Queen's. Although I had the pleasure of knowing both Sarah and Mike during my undergraduate days, I'd like to talk about a very special moment at the beginning of my second stint back in Kingston for my final graduate degree. If my dates are off Sarah you will have to forgive me, you know what time does to a memory!

All I remember is that it was the weekend that Sarah and Mike were engaged- I had been down at the farmer's market and I remember Sarah and Mike pulling up in the car beside me and teasing me about having returned to Kingston after having exciting adventures overseas for 5 years. I recall a particular excitement around them and a bit of a sneaky smile, only later did Sarah tell me that I had been the first person they saw following their engagement but that they hadn't yet told the news to their family so they stayed mum.

I was fortunate to have spent another five years with Sarah and Mike in Kingston and had the pleasure of witnessing as their family and their careers blossomed. Although I am now based out of Edmonton, I still get back to Kingston now and then and stay in touch. Mike remains etched in my head as a family man, an incredible physician, and a darn good person.

Why he had to leave us so early I will never understand but he certainly left his mark on his family, community, and profession. I found this saying that I hope captures my posting "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." ~From a headstone in Ireland from http://www.quotegarden.com/sympathy.html (the academic in my can't help but cite the source :) I can only hope I live my life as well as Mike did.