Graveside service by Rabbi Lori Cohen, 29 Dec 2006.
*****Psalm 23
The world is diminished because Will is no longer with us here on earth. He was a very special young man, whose life was too short. And yet in his too few years here on earth he was able to touch the lives of many people in unique ways. He was a rodef shalom, one who constantly sought peace; the peacekeeper in family as well as by profession. He was the brave young man who fought cancer and let everyone be a part of his courageous journey. He was the sensitive poet, the loveable friend, and a man who was not afraid to show his emotions. His years were too few and yet he lived every moment of them, and those that knew him are richer for the experience.
*****Adonai Ma Adam
In the world of music there is one symphony which is quite different from all the rest. The conventional symphony has three, four, or perhaps five movements, but there is a symphony that has only one movement. The reason is that the composer Franz Schubert never finished it. Schubert wrote the first movement, put it away in his drawer, and before he could finish it, he died. Hence its name: The Unfinished Symphony.
Though Franz Schubert did not have the privilege of finishing his symphony, the entire world is the richer, in that it possesses this wonderful piece of music. For, despite the fact that it breaks off before it is complete, it is nonetheless, a masterpiece.
An unfinished life is, in many ways, like an unfinished symphony. There is a feeling of deep regret that we are not privileged to have seen that life lived to the fullest. At the same time, we feel that it is far better to have had the few years granted to us, than to have nothing at all. Will's death leaves us sad at the thought of the unfinished years, but grateful for the wonderful memories of a life that was nonetheless a masterpiece.
As I spoke with Sarah the other day, I could feel the passion that existed between her and Will in their lives together. They loved each other so deeply – as friends and as lovers. They helped each other and worked towards each others' happiness.
Sarah and Will met as two young people studying at McMaster where Will was majoring in English. They stayed close even during Will's training for the RCMP in Regina. Sarah followed Will to BC where he was later posted.
Will was a man who shared a special connection with everyone he met. Even the criminals who he had to arrest knew that he treated them with dignity, living out one of the most essential teachings and values in Judaism, treating each person as having been created b'tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. He was intuitive and could "read" people.
As important as his profession was, Will was able to find that perfect balance between family, friends, work and his self – a wisdom beyond his years. He knew that it was important to spend time with Sarah, traveling as well as sharing the details of daily life. He was the glue that held family and friends together, with his sense of humour and his understanding of people. There were moments of quiet as he composed poetry and worked on his novels. His was a well rounded life.
Will was raised in the Catholic faith but studied and celebrated Jewish rituals and holy days with Sarah. He realized the most important value of every faith community in their role to teach and help people to be good to one another. In this way Will was a profoundly spiritual man. Today we realize that the world mourns the loss of a very good soul.
*****One of Will's poems
Words are insufficient to describe Will's life, but perhaps for a few moments you will remember him and the time you spent with him. For a moment you can feel the depth of his embrace as he hugged you with every ounce of his being. You remember his courage as he battled disease and did it with full faith. Will had a way of reaching out to let you know how important you were to him. Will was not afraid to show his emotions, so today we can feel comfortable expressing our emotions about how we felt about him.
***** Esa Einai