I wrote this song for you at a time – about three years ago or so…I didn’t realize at the time, how much the lyrics would mean to me in years to come.  At the time, I wanted to express my love but it seemed that the words themselves were even hard to come by.  Love…life can seem like a great mystery, a great riddle…

Music has been such a part of our lives.  It has comforted me during the darkest times.   You used to love it when I sang this song and played it for you on guitar.  Wherever you are, I hope this song helps soothes you and that you feel my love from afar.

Paula

Riddle

I’ve got this riddle
And it’s camped in
My head, in my heart
It’s never sinking
Lighter than air
It keeps us there
High
High above the stratosphere
Though we’re not there
It keeps us there
Like
Like the wings of a plane, defying dares

We drew our names out
Through the stars eyes
They wink above us
Like knowing headlights
Brighter than lovers stares
It keeps us there
High
High above the stratosphere
Though we’re not there
It keeps us there
Like
Like the wings of a plane, defying dares

We’ve got the tall straws
We know it’s love
We ride above the ocean waves
Not down below like stowaway in vain

Paula recently shared a story about Pierre and the sense of community that has shown beauty and compassion through these extremely difficult times. As we’ve all been reflecting on moments in time shared with Pierre – the husband, father, son, brother and friend – we created a page to encourage everyone to provide their own stories about Pierre, as a way of letting him know we’re thinking of him, where ever he may be.

Follow this link to write your own `Messages for Pierre`.

Thank you to everyone who came out on Sunday to attend the Healing Ceremony in Stanley Park and thank you to everyone from afar who took pause and joined us with their positive intentions. As I listened to Matthew talk about a sense of belonging and community, I started to think more about the following story which I felt compelled to share with you.

Years ago, Pierre and I lived in an apartment building just outside the gates of UBC. I was finishing my degree at the University and Pierre had started work for a start-up IT company. Not before long, (thanks to Pierre’s outgoing nature), we met all of our neighbours and not before long, (thanks to Pierre’s whacky sense of humour), we all became very good friends. We would each take turns hosting breakfasts and dinners. The doors of our apartments were constantly left open with each of us wandering from apartment to apartment; in search for some extra milk, computer technical support, or just simply a good story.

When our neighbour across the hall had her first child, she would knock on our door and leave her baby on Pierre’s lap, who was at home studying for his Masters so that she could quickly run up the street to buy some bread. And when I came home in the middle of the night to find the dreaded bike thieves in our laundry room, I woke up my burly 6 ft 3″ neighbour. I yelled instructions to him to keep watch from his apartment window so that I could call the cops. It was a real sense of community. Community in the true sense of the word. We stumbled upon it without knowing it and without realizing what a golden life we were living.

Over the years, Pierre often spoke about this sense of community and felt that there was a real lack of this happening in our world right now. I guess just due to the true nature of all of us not living within arms reach, all of us working so hard to make a go of things…raising children…caring for elderly parents. Our intentions are often so good but our time so limited. And so months would pass without seeing our old neighbours who had since moved out. Close friends become close friends from afar. I sensed over the years that Pierre longed to have that closeness and sense of community again.

And so here I now find myself stumbling upon this community again. Our old community that once silently receded to grow their own roots, has come forward during these dark times and sprouted new roots. Inside this community that has reached out to me, Pierre and the boys, I feel this incredible comfort and protection that lifts me from despair and helps me to see such beauty and compassion in my world right now.

Thank you to all of you who have reached out.

All my love,
Paula

We have scheduled a search and canvassing effort for the Victoria and Esquimalt area (as defined by the map below) in order to help spread the message about Pierre. We will be putting up posters, talking to people and businesses.

General Request for Volunteers: We are looking for volunteers in the Victoria community to help. If you are available, please join us on Saturday. We won’t know exactly how many volunteers we have until we perform a headcount in the morning, but will split into teams covering each zone and distribute the kits (maps, posters and contact numbers).

If you expect to show up after the search begins, please e-mail Dylan (dylan@findpierre.com) with your contact information so we can get in touch. When you arrive you will be directed to join a team.

• When: Saturday November 28th
• Time: 10 AM sharp
• Location: Capital Iron Parking Lot (located across the street from Capital Iron, look for beige Ford Ranger truck in the parking lot)
• Clothing: Warm waterproof clothing, sturdy footwear
• Bring: Cell phone, staple gun/tape, money for parking (if driving)

When: Sunday November 29th from 3:30 to 4:00 pm
Where:  Prospect Point in Stanley Park

Anyone is welcome to join us in this prayer-vigil.  We are asking that love ones come together to share their special pure intention to love, care, and show compassion for Pierre and all his  friends and family.  All you really need to bring is a pure motivation of cherishing others.  Our hope is that by opening our hearts during the ceremony, we will generate, amplify, transform and dedicate these positive feelings and experiences to Pierre and all those he has lovingly touched.

If you would like to attend but are not able to, please set your watches or timers to 3:30 pm and take a quiet moment in your thoughts and hearts to join us and Pierre from wherever you may be.

Love Paula

The time commitment is roughly 1-1.5hr min: from 0730 to 0900 and 1130 to 1300 and will involve canvassing specific areas. Ideally we would like to have 3-4 people cover each time slot, everyday for a week.

If you are available, please contact us at: volunteers@findpierre.com

-Tim (tbaur@findpierre.com)

Hundreds of volunteers; family, friends, friends of friends and even strangers have taken to the parks, waterways and streets to help find Pierre. You have all been unwavering in your commitment and support and I wanted to thank you all and express my utmost gratitude.

To all the volunteers who turned out today to search the Downtown Eastside. We will be following up on some of the sightings mentioned in this area and will be posting information shortly of a more concentrated search.

Paula

• When: Sunday, November 22nd
• Time: 10 AM sharp
• Location: Science World Parking Lot
  • The north end of the parking lot under the Sky Train rail
  • Click the map below, the blue pin is the meeting area
  • We will organize there and then depart by 1030AM
• Clothing: Wear warm, waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear
• Bring: Cell phone, food & water (for yourself as needed)

Note, if you expect to show up after 1030AM, please let me know (tbaur@findpierre.com) so that we can exchange phone numbers. When you arrive in the area I will to direct you to meet up with a team.

We won’t know exactly how many volunteers we have until we perform a headcount in the morning. We will organize the groups, assign team leaders and then distribute the kits (maps, posters and contact numbers). We have a reasonably sized area to cover in a very challenging and dense neighborhood and will be canvassing stores, shelters and churches. Keep this in mind as you prepare.

If you have any questions, please let me know. I will update this blog entry if there is more information to share or to answer questions raised.

Regards,
-Tim (tbaur@findpierre.com)

UPDATE (11/21/2009 at 6.40PM): Map and zones for the search, including pins for shelters (etc) that we’ll want to visit.

It would be best if you could report on what you intend to do and/or have done so that we can update the Search Reports to help reduce duplicated effort. We may also be able to put groups of people in contact with each-other. Emailed reports can be sent to: tbaur@findpierre.com

As always, please keep the following in mind – we request that private property and restricted areas be respected or avoided unless express permission is given. The authorities have the channels to enlist the appropriate personnel accordingly. We do not want anyone breaking the law or putting themselves in harms way to assist with the canvassing and search. We want everyone to return home safely to their homes and loved ones at the end of each day.

To all the volunteers helping search for and spread the message about Pierre, thank you again from Paula and the family.

We have updated the missing persons poster, which can be downloaded by clicking the image below. If you can, please use this poster going forward.

The old poster is still available and can be downloaded here.