Too Young to Die?

I didn’t hear about it on the news. Quickly, a call came in from  one of my friends. His broken voice told me something was terribly wrong and that’s when he relayed the news. Apparently it happened in the early morning hours and I drive that same stretch of road late at night fairly often. How far am I from death?

A few years ago, as I understand it, he picked up some kind of wains and was on his way home when he ran off. Every time I hear “This is where the cowboy rides away”. It takes me back to his funeral Lady where dozens of my mates wondered how a person with a lifetime of energy could be lifeless in an instant.

I was stuck with this one girl. I think we both annoyed each other equally, but my housewife at the time was a friend of hers so we had to put up with each other. One day we were walking down the hallway and she turned bright red. She asked me to “block” for her, so she stood between me and the lockers, and I did my best to shield her mishap from all the ruthless kids swarming past during the break. I guess you could say we had a break-through, because my kids became one of my best friends that day.

A few years ago I was cleaning out my kids and found the note “I am always watching you!” It made me laugh, just like it did the first time I read it. I’m thankful for the memories, and thankful for my guardian angel still today.

One of the first things that went through my head in each of these cases was, “But God, we’re too young to die.” I suppose they weren’t, and ultimately the only thing I have from each of these friends are the bits and pieces of my brain. In the Story Keeping add we produced last week, I said “discover how you can make sure your loved one’s story lives on forever … it’s never too early to start, so start now.” Rest in peace, my friends!