Follow up

[eded]

I recently (pathetically?) posted about the death of a good friend.

My one pick of his vast material world... a sop sax.  He played it jamming in his parents basement in a trio we were in back in 1976...  that's 41 years ago.

I can almost summon up the chops to play it...  when I'm not weeping.

Ed

ps: I need to make terms with this aging thing...

[unclrob]

If it helps "it is what it is".For me the worst thing about gettin older is that I won't see how it ends.Since the age of 13 I've had to bury a lot of friends and I'm 62.So I guess for me is the memory of them helps them live on,I've talk about them in tale's I tell  and lessons they helped me learn.We never had a choice in aging we just do.Hopefully someone will tell tales of you.

[Danny]

I just had a conversation with my younger son. Calmly telling him to be prepared for some to die in the family. His grandma is very old and his mom is in ill health.
   Then there's this long distance motorcycle riding old man, called daddy. Never know when.

[Walkerman]

I just had a conversation with my younger son. Calmly telling him to be prepared for some to die in the family. His grandma is very old and his mom is in ill health.
   Then there's this long distance motorcycle riding old man, called daddy. Never know when.

In today's world, does anyone know when?

[Danny]

In today's world, does anyone know when?

Very good point. Sadly.

[George]

Yeah, you never know about any of them (or yourself).  One day you pick up the phone or open an email or read a text message or post just to learn that another has passed... It is always a shock...

Then you look around and discover that we are fewer and fewer in our own numbers, friends, acquaintances, musicians we admire, etc. 

My dad is 94 and his biggest complaint is that he has outlived all he knew and has very few people to talk to, and for him that is still his strongest ability...

[eded]

You're a good bunch of folks.

Ed

[broKen]

A joy shared is doubled,,,a grief shared is halved. So the saying goes.
Enjoy the memories

[ryler]

Ed, I'm sorry to hear that someone so meaningful to you, that you loved, has passed.  I liked what Rob said about remembering the lessons that they helped you learn.  What a piece of wisdom.  Thanks for sharing your loss with us. My thoughts are with you.

[tuffythepug]

I'm fast approaching 68 years of age.   I've lost a lot of friends over the past few years.   Some due to illness, some due to accidents.    But I have 4 friends whom I've known since first grade who I stay in touch with over the years.   The closest one is a five hour drive away and two are about 7 hours away.  As the years go by we seem to see each other less and less but we stay in touch by phone, email and Facebook regularly.   Recently one had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and another one contracted a blood infection which damn near killed him.   He just got out of the VA hospital after weeks of treatment.   I drove down to see him the day he got out of the hospital and the next day I took him on a nice drive in the hills overlooking our old hometown.  We stood looking out across the valley below and we both were thinking the same thing...   Someday,.  maybe not this month or this year, but someday soon one of use will no longer be pumping air on this earth.  We hugged and promised that, no matter what, we would always remember standing there on a crisp fall morning, one of us having just escaped death,  and marveling at the beauty before us.   Next week I hope to visit the friend with prostate cancer.  It's a long drive and I have some issues myself that make it difficult to make that journey, but I want to make a good memory with him like I did with my other friend last week.   You never know when it will be your last chance.  I don't want to waste what time any of us have left.  

Ed, I'm sorry for your loss,  maybe I should have led with that..   Anyway, You have great memories that will keep him alive for you in a way.  As someone once said, "this gettin' old crap is not for pansies."

[Danny]

Well said Lynn.

[eded]

Like I said...  a good bunch of folks.

[Queequeg]

Of course it is true that we all have to go but nobody can make you live life to the fullest. You've got to do that yourself.
These moments just serve to remind us, as my old friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson used to say to me, he said, "Queequeg, Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."