There is nothing like a death, to make us more aware of how precious life is, and how important each minute must be.
Losing a close friend is in many ways like losing a parent or a child, as the closeness of experiences and common understanding is so near to your own life.
After 24 years of living in a senior community, and seeing nearly half of my friends now gone, it doesn't get easier.
Good to take the time to remember the good times. It helps.
Sometimes even in the darkest night a candle glows:
A good friend and a pillar of our community came down with colon cancer 2 year ago, and after weeks and months of treatment here in Illinois went to his other home in Arizona... for what proved to be a last ditch operation (colostomy) stomach removal. We all respected his privacy and stayed way for what we knew would be a final reckoning. No one heard from him, as he wanted to avoid putting his burden on others. We just assumed....
On last Friday while in the local supermarket, my DW brought me around to a different aisle and asked if I knew "who this is?" The 6'2" man infront of me bore a resemblance, but was 15 years younger and 130 lbs. lighter... but for sure, it was Bill.... I'm not given to crying, but the tears rolled down my face as I hugged him...
Some things just happen, and once in a while, they are great!
We must share the gladness with the pain...
