GRIEF IS A UNIVERSAL HUMAN EXPERIENCE AND ALL OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FEELING OF PAIN AND SADNESS FOLLOWING A LOSS. WE READ ABOUT TRAGEDIES EVERY DAY IN THE NEWSPAPERS, SEE THEM ON TV, HEAR ABOUT MISFORTUNES FROM FRIENDS OR EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF SOME ONE DEAR TO US THROUGH ILLNESS OR OLD AGE.  MANY READ ABOUT OR HAVE HEARD  EXPERTS ON DEATH AND DYING. THEREFORE WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE STAGES OF GRIEF: SHOCK, DENIAL, RAGE, DESPAIR AND FINALLY ACCEPTANCE. FOR SOME GRIEF IS MADE EASIER BY STRONG FAITH IN GOD, BY A SENSE OF THE FIRM BELIEF THAT THEY WILL MEET THEIR LOVED ONES AFTER DEATH.   AT DIFFERENT TIMES I  HAVE COME INTO CONTACT  WITH GRIEVING PEOPLE AT FUNERALS, MEMORIAL SERVICES OR VISITING THE BEREAVED. I OFFERED CARING WORDS, COMPASSION, LOVE, BUT WHEN I LEFT I MOVED ON WITH MY LIFE. ONE DAY I WAS SUDDENLY  THROWN INTO THE WORLD OF SENSELESS VIOLENCE, GRIEF, AND ANGUISH WITH THE SUDDEN NEWS OF THE MURDER OF MY YOUNGEST CHILD, MY SON; MARCUS ANTHONY  WHO WE CALL "MARC".   IT BEGAN WITH UTTER SHOCK AND DISBELIEF AND A SLIM HOPE THAT A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE. THE SHOCK AND DISBELIEF STILL CATCH ME AT TIMES EVEN THOUGH THIRTEEN YEARS HAVE PASSED, AND OF COURSE A HORRIBLE MISTAKE WAS MADE. SOME CRUEL AND MISGUIDED MAN ENDED THE LIFE OF A YOUNG MAN WHO LOVED LIFE AND PEOPLE.  HE HAD A RADIANT SUNNY SMILE AND WORKED HARD FOR WHAT HE WANTED.  A PART OF ME WAS KILLED WITH HIM AND I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.