Eulogy (Break it Down, Y'all)

To open with a cliche, we meet here today not to mourn a death, but to celebrate a life. The life of Gregory Petar Harkins. He played many roles in our respective lives and touched each of us individually, as a friend, a "brother", and an entertainer, in some respects, and for me, a loving husband. Always willing to listen, not just to hear, he was also one of the most giving people I've ever known in that regard. He'd lend the entirety of himself to you if you needed it, I swear. I don't know how I'd have ever gotten through some of those tough days without the help he gave me. And I'll never forget it either.

I remember the first time we met. I was sitting alone at a table in the cafeteria at our high school and he came over and introduced himself as 50%, the new hot rapper, because he "only had to rhyme half the time. The other half was just gunshot sounds on the track." He asked me to be in his next video "Stanky Thug, feat. 50%" as a backup dancer and I knew from that day forward that we'd be fast friends.

A few weeks later, I was in a bit of a bad mood because of some issues I had with my parents and he sat and talked me through it. He reassured me and told me everything would be okay and gave not only credible advice, but the biggest hug when I was finished.

Another time, on Valentine's Day, he spent the whole lunch period complaining about "Hallmark Holidays" and how much he despised the corporate aspect of an excuse to buy sappy cards. He lured me into a false sense of security, actually, as I never expected what would come next. He surprised me in my last class of the day, right in the middle of it, with a bouquet of flowers and a card "To my best friend... We'll always be there for each other." It was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for me. Later that night, he asked me out and well...
we all know how that ends.

In the many years we've been together, he has always been the sweetest, most courteous person in the world. Every once in a while, he'd say something like "Not that work isn't a GREAT motivator [obviously sarcastic], but loving you is the only thing that really gets me out of bed in the morning." He lived to love his family and friends, and even when all is gone after his death, that love will live on forever.

Greg affected me the way I'm sure he affected most of you. That quick wit and charm of his immediately drew you in and the depth and openness of his heart kept you. His smile and loving personality made your heart warm, even in the coldest of nights, and his disposition almost always reflected that. He gave his everything to all of his friends, and often said that he got back more from each and every one of them than he could ever give himself. Because of that, he was only pushed to give more.

He cherished every one of us, and loved each of us uniquely and profoundly. I am privileged to have been able to spend the better part of my life with this man, and will constantly be in gratitude for everything he has given, and subsequently taught me. He'll forever be in my heart and the heart of all of his family. His son, his daughter, and his three grandchildren. I'm sure he'll always be with us.

We love you, Greg. We always will.