From the blog ...
I had never heard of this man before a few days ago. And even then, it was only a few sentences … a couple of short lines about his long past … a brief mention of his current situation … and the misfortunes that befell him in the final years.
What I did find out was that this stranger had touched upon the soul of one of my oldest and dearest friends and that made it a little more personal to me. His close association with someone close to me, in a way, meant that he was not a complete stranger … he was a friend of a friend … which meant that had the timing been just slightly different … he could have been a friend of mine.
I know that he was loved by many people … for his sense of humor, his gentle bear-like presence … he was a big man. He was a pleasure to be around and to be his friend was an honor. His rough and tumble youth and the mishaps he experienced along the way … all formed a foundation for his years of commitment and passion for helping people … especially those with drug or alcohol dependencies.
And his passing did have an effect on me.
When I found out, all I could do was think about – close my eyes and attempt to take in – what must have been terrible grief and pain for my dear friend. How she must have wept. How the injustice of death spares no one … not even the living. I tried to imagine how angry and hopeless she must have felt. I know how she felt. I’ve felt that way, too. We all have at one time or another. 
The absolute weakness and smallness we feel when someone we love is gone.
Can we turn this over in our minds and hearts and find something fulfilling about this man’s life … something that enriches us and permits us to close our eyes to think back … and remember what it was like to be with really good friends in a really close and warm, nurturing friendship? Can we find the strength to release the pain and sorrow … let it flow into a river of joy and relief … into an ocean of peace and happiness?
Isn’t it nice if there is a small place in our hearts for the people we’ve never met or known?
Isn’t that the legacy my unknown, distant friend would have wanted?
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