Clyde Runnels_smbk red

oMy Brother

I have 2 facts for you. 1. I ’ m 5”2’ and 2. Love is the most vulnerable thing one will ever have, and you must learn to hold on to it, loose ly. So when it leaves it won ’ t exit so painfully. On March 17, 1966 a King was brought to this earth. His name was Clyde Dewayne Runnels. I only know him as Wayne. His smile is as wide as the universe, and his eyes they glimmer like the stars, he ’ s my world & my brother. I learn what it meant to love selflessly when my brother got shot when we were teenagers. I remember like it was yesterday, but my strength was up knee high seeing him after the doctors said “ he wasn ’ t gonna make it. ” Seeing his smiley face would make my soul dance, but on August 31, 2022 I ’ ve been ground - bound because he left the earth to go back home amongst the stars, right next to God in my tears and dreams that we would get old together. I just be having night mares now of things we haven ’ t done and it ’ s played again and again in my head, but I have to come to terms that my brother isn ’ t coming back and that ’ s the cost of love. You care for somebody so much you can ’ t imagine living life without them. Staring at him in the hospital say ing that I ’ m younger than you I can take your place. I know I can ’ t play God, but I want to hold on to you. I know I said to hold on to love loosely earlier, but when it leaves, it won ’ t exit so painfully, but the pain and these memories are all that I got left of you I will never regret trying to hold on to you. Love Your Sister,

Netta Runnels - Alexander