I’ll See You Sunday…
The very real truth is that sometimes we won’t.
I cannot count how many times I uttered those words to my friend, “I’ll see you Sunday, dude…” after speaking or meeting during the week. I think the universe uses such events to remind us that although we are given a certain amount of time on this earth, it is an unknown amount and we should act accordingly…whatever that means for each of us.
The reminder works, however briefly, as there is something operating in my brain which does not allow me to remember this simple secret to life for very long. It was literally 72 hours later when I heard myself whisper to a friend, “Maybe I’ll see you this weekend…”
By God if I don’t for whatever reason, know that I love you!
The family members I see and don’t see regularly; I love you. The friends I see regularly; I love you. The friends I don’t get to see as often as I once did, I love you. The friends I have not seen in forever, I love you. To all of those people I may not be in contact with any longer, who have had an impact on my life for what they call a reason, season or a lifetime; I love you.
And to the people I come in contact with each and every day, which are a part of my journey, whether I like it or not; I love you.
I am grateful for each of you; past, present and future. No matter how we left things or leave them; you helped shape and form me and in that I am grateful.
Thank you…
Brady was a good man.
He was my friend and he taught me something every moment I was able to spend with him. The lesson was not always something I could continue to use and it was not for lack of merit, but suitability of character instead. Some of the beauty he possessed was not necessarily possible for the rest of us; it was granted to those special creatures capable of living in such a way. If somehow I can put forth the smallest fraction of what he taught me, I will feel as though I did the best I could.
He was capable of such sensitivity, love and tolerance; his way was and will remain an ideal to strive towards. I will continue to use his life and teachings as guidelines when working with others because of the depth of his love for his fellows. It is not to say that Brady was perfect; nothing would feel as cheap as to label him thusly in fact. That would be to ignore his human difficulties and the strategies he employed to work through them.
We would forget that he was a man, who despite his struggles and strains against the flow of life he maintained a seemingly innate ability to love and show that love to his fellows. He worked with others constantly and that was the proof I needed.
Although his words often spoke volumes, his deeds wrote tomes.
I believe that makes a person; the actual sum of our parts, which makes us whole. Were we loosely hanging theory and feebly held together words, or was our body of work etched in the stone of the actual living, breathing human beings we crossed paths with, cried over and often bled for?
Brady was the latter.
He was a man no doubt; flawed and imperfect in many ways.
He was beautifully capable of using his imperfections and flaws to bring the beauty out in others. He was capable and willing to lift you from the depths of despair with what seemed like never ending kindness and compassion…
My man, Brady:
I will try and live more nobly dude.
It seems you taught me how.
I will try and let the tears flow freely to match the love I try and share with my fellows.
It appears you left this mark on me.
I will hold dear those people and principles worth living by and for.
It is with great joy that you gave me permission to love and deeply connect despite the pain of loss.
I will value those things which make me God’s creation.
Such beautiful creatures we are in our frailty.
And I will endeavor to pray and meditate more often today than yesterday, dude.
It is not without action that our faith will grow.
I love you and miss you dearly…
I am going to leave it here. I am going to leave it as the wide, loving smile on his face and the pooling tears in his glowing eyes. The kind words he said to you or I before he fell into God’s warm embrace. The sound of his laughter…
I am going to leave it where I think he would have wanted.
May you rest in peace, Brady…
The very real truth is that sometimes we won’t.
I cannot count how many times I uttered those words to my friend, “I’ll see you Sunday, dude…” after speaking or meeting during the week. I think the universe uses such events to remind us that although we are given a certain amount of time on this earth, it is an unknown amount and we should act accordingly…whatever that means for each of us.
The reminder works, however briefly, as there is something operating in my brain which does not allow me to remember this simple secret to life for very long. It was literally 72 hours later when I heard myself whisper to a friend, “Maybe I’ll see you this weekend…”
By God if I don’t for whatever reason, know that I love you!
The family members I see and don’t see regularly; I love you. The friends I see regularly; I love you. The friends I don’t get to see as often as I once did, I love you. The friends I have not seen in forever, I love you. To all of those people I may not be in contact with any longer, who have had an impact on my life for what they call a reason, season or a lifetime; I love you.
And to the people I come in contact with each and every day, which are a part of my journey, whether I like it or not; I love you.
I am grateful for each of you; past, present and future. No matter how we left things or leave them; you helped shape and form me and in that I am grateful.
Thank you…
Brady was a good man.
He was my friend and he taught me something every moment I was able to spend with him. The lesson was not always something I could continue to use and it was not for lack of merit, but suitability of character instead. Some of the beauty he possessed was not necessarily possible for the rest of us; it was granted to those special creatures capable of living in such a way. If somehow I can put forth the smallest fraction of what he taught me, I will feel as though I did the best I could.
He was capable of such sensitivity, love and tolerance; his way was and will remain an ideal to strive towards. I will continue to use his life and teachings as guidelines when working with others because of the depth of his love for his fellows. It is not to say that Brady was perfect; nothing would feel as cheap as to label him thusly in fact. That would be to ignore his human difficulties and the strategies he employed to work through them.
We would forget that he was a man, who despite his struggles and strains against the flow of life he maintained a seemingly innate ability to love and show that love to his fellows. He worked with others constantly and that was the proof I needed.
Although his words often spoke volumes, his deeds wrote tomes.
I believe that makes a person; the actual sum of our parts, which makes us whole. Were we loosely hanging theory and feebly held together words, or was our body of work etched in the stone of the actual living, breathing human beings we crossed paths with, cried over and often bled for?
Brady was the latter.
He was a man no doubt; flawed and imperfect in many ways.
He was beautifully capable of using his imperfections and flaws to bring the beauty out in others. He was capable and willing to lift you from the depths of despair with what seemed like never ending kindness and compassion…
My man, Brady:
I will try and live more nobly dude.
It seems you taught me how.
I will try and let the tears flow freely to match the love I try and share with my fellows.
It appears you left this mark on me.
I will hold dear those people and principles worth living by and for.
It is with great joy that you gave me permission to love and deeply connect despite the pain of loss.
I will value those things which make me God’s creation.
Such beautiful creatures we are in our frailty.
And I will endeavor to pray and meditate more often today than yesterday, dude.
It is not without action that our faith will grow.
I love you and miss you dearly…
I am going to leave it here. I am going to leave it as the wide, loving smile on his face and the pooling tears in his glowing eyes. The kind words he said to you or I before he fell into God’s warm embrace. The sound of his laughter…
I am going to leave it where I think he would have wanted.
May you rest in peace, Brady…
