You'd think we would be getting used to it, but we don't.
Those of us who have attained our "three score and ten" on the right side of the dirt are beginning to lose friends at what seems to be an accelerating and unacceptable pace. Just a year or two ago weren't we saying that he or she "had a good run" when spying an obituary for a septuagenarian? Today we're saying "too soon" too often and not just to comfort the family. We really mean it! At this stage of the game every fallen friend is a reminder of how precious little time is left on our game clock and we don't like our chances of beating the odds. How can this be? I demand a recount! Just when you're getting things pretty well figured out it's game over. "Hey, I still have stuff on my bucket list!" Heart attacks, cancer, dementia and all the rest of them be damned! Those maladies are for OLD folks.
As you may have guessed, this week began for me with the death of a friend of more than twenty-five years. I was visiting family and pals in San Diego and had planned to see my buddy during my stay. He'll remain nameless as he and his wife were very private people. He wanted no service and no announcement in any publication in spite of being a well known and highly successful business man who also donated much time and money to several worthy charities. He was a solid gold friend to those lucky enough to get to know him. When my wife was gravely ill he pulled strings enabling us to see doctors who were booked months into the future. It was easy to see why he had been one of the most successful people in the communications business. Though retired, he was still a take no prisoners dynamo who got things done.
When we spoke a little over two weeks ago he mentioned that he had experienced a dizzy spell and was going into the hospital for some tests. The results were not good. A week ago he got the news that he had an inoperable glioblastoma and there was little his doctors could do. He returned home the next day to hospice care and died two days later. Vibrant and looking forward to our getting together just two weeks ago and now four days dead. He would have been 78 on May 30. Though he often mentioned how grateful he was to have surpassed his father's fifty year lifespan and to have had a stellar career in an industry he loved, like most of us, he wanted more.
I'm reminded of the two old women at a Catskills resort complaining, "the food here is terrible...and such small portions." Small portions indeed. Let's enjoy every minute remaining on the clock because, no matter what the allotment, I have a hunch we'll savor every second allowed and will eventually rest not in peace but in inevitable resignation. Too soon!
God speed B.B.
Those of us who have attained our "three score and ten" on the right side of the dirt are beginning to lose friends at what seems to be an accelerating and unacceptable pace. Just a year or two ago weren't we saying that he or she "had a good run" when spying an obituary for a septuagenarian? Today we're saying "too soon" too often and not just to comfort the family. We really mean it! At this stage of the game every fallen friend is a reminder of how precious little time is left on our game clock and we don't like our chances of beating the odds. How can this be? I demand a recount! Just when you're getting things pretty well figured out it's game over. "Hey, I still have stuff on my bucket list!" Heart attacks, cancer, dementia and all the rest of them be damned! Those maladies are for OLD folks.
As you may have guessed, this week began for me with the death of a friend of more than twenty-five years. I was visiting family and pals in San Diego and had planned to see my buddy during my stay. He'll remain nameless as he and his wife were very private people. He wanted no service and no announcement in any publication in spite of being a well known and highly successful business man who also donated much time and money to several worthy charities. He was a solid gold friend to those lucky enough to get to know him. When my wife was gravely ill he pulled strings enabling us to see doctors who were booked months into the future. It was easy to see why he had been one of the most successful people in the communications business. Though retired, he was still a take no prisoners dynamo who got things done.
When we spoke a little over two weeks ago he mentioned that he had experienced a dizzy spell and was going into the hospital for some tests. The results were not good. A week ago he got the news that he had an inoperable glioblastoma and there was little his doctors could do. He returned home the next day to hospice care and died two days later. Vibrant and looking forward to our getting together just two weeks ago and now four days dead. He would have been 78 on May 30. Though he often mentioned how grateful he was to have surpassed his father's fifty year lifespan and to have had a stellar career in an industry he loved, like most of us, he wanted more.
I'm reminded of the two old women at a Catskills resort complaining, "the food here is terrible...and such small portions." Small portions indeed. Let's enjoy every minute remaining on the clock because, no matter what the allotment, I have a hunch we'll savor every second allowed and will eventually rest not in peace but in inevitable resignation. Too soon!
God speed B.B.
Amen, Dr Copper.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ken. It was all just so fast. Miss him a lot already.
ReplyDelete