We'd love to see you again
We just heard this morning that a friend of ours, Gladys, died last Thursday. I wondered if this was going to happen. Not Gladys passing on, specifically. But rather that one of the farewells we said this past summer might be the final one. I suppose that question has been in the back of my mind since July of last year, when we lost three friends to sundry deaths. I suppose I should be used to it, since I've been living away from my Midwest home for over a decade. I've missed many a funeral, wedding and baptism. Living in China just means that I'm living away from a greater number of people. Still, it's times like this that one really feels the separation.But what does this have to do with Gladys? Nothing much really. She's gone and the world is a poorer place. Ah, now isn't that a glib phrase? For those of us who knew her, the ripples of her passing touch our hearts with sorrow and fond remembrance. For those who never knew her, it's just another day. Heck, for me the last couple of days was like that, as I was ignorant of her death. Is the world truly poorer for her passing? Well, it's not logical, but I think so. There's billions of folks who never met Gladys, but she was a wonderful person to be with. In a perfect world, one without death, wouldn't they have eventually had a chance to meet her? To enjoy the pleasure of her company? And how many millions of wonderful folks have died before I had a chance to meet them? I have a sneaking hunch that I am indeed poorer for their loss. ... Aw, maybe I'm just being a dreamer. Or, like Gladys would have put it: it's crazy. But that's Heaven, too, and I hope Gladys is enjoying it now.
posted by John @ 5:44 AM
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