We are here today to pay our last respects to?

Except I'm not!

This will be just one of many. many, times that I will think of Leon,

boy and man,

And admire his nature.

One could say that Leon was "dealt a poor hand" at birth.

But given that hand he went on to forge a personality that,

Well,

to be frank,

it still humbles me.

When I was asked to eulogize Leon I thought immediately of his warm smile.

Leon's smile was never more radiant than when he was out, in a park or garden, under an open sky.

Leon was no-ones patsy however!

He might insist on being shown to a window seat when entering a home.

When shown a clapping game, he might insist that you continued playing until he was all out of laughter.

Leon's personality is something to be proud of!

Me being me, I got to thinking of that old philosophical debate of "nature versus nurture" and the forming of Leon's personality.

I got thinking of Tara, Linda and Joe - Leon's immediate family and so those that have nurtured him the most.

Knowing their care and mighty love for Leon -That could have shaped his personality.

I'm certain they influenced Leon's taste in music, as Leon would ask me to play Bob Marley for him and sit, entranced, listening to 'Buffalo Soldier' or 'Three little Birds', he was clearly lost in the music :-)

But that could be nature too, as music plays a large part in Leon's wider family as a whole.

Well, as you can see,

like most philosophical debates, "Leon's personality; nature or nurture" is inconclusive. :-)

But just thinking about Leon, that is something we all treasure.

Casting your mind back to the beginning,

I would like to conclude by revising my opening sentence:

Donald S. McCarthy 14th October 2004