Pay Some Respect

Why do we go to a grave when someone is dead? To visit the memory of them?
I have never felt compelled to go to any of my grandparents, or any of my relatives, or many of my friends grave sites. I've been back to some of these, but I never felt like they were even there. Just their hair bones and clothes.

A friend of mine died a little over a year ago. We grew up together between ages 8 through 18. We worked together some later in life. We fished and hunted together. I remember the effect that his life had on mine. And still does. Nothing profound. He was a genuine person. A good man. An honest hardworking man. I don't think he was the kind of person to work hard just because he needed a paycheck.

Much of the time that we worked together we were employed by his family. Some of the nicest people on the earth. The nicest people that anyone could meet. He could have worked less because these people wouldn't have fired him for any reason. But he worked hard none the less. I like working hard too. Mostly because I like to feel like I really accomplished something in a short amount of time. Because time always seems so very short to me.

Time is short. Andy my friend is gone. I sure do miss that guy.

His wife dropped me a note the other day. She seemed to be doing alright. This was the second man in her young life that she lost prematurely. HE was another friend of mine. And she too is a very very good person. Never bothering anyone. She and I grew up together too. We all had a lot of the same friends.

Time is short. The memories of these people are as alive in my heart right now as they were when we were all together. I don't need to go to a grave to remember someone.

God help me to remember these people and the effect they all have on my life. Because they all matter to you. Their lives all have value because they add value to every ones life. Let us all be thankful for the people in our lives.

"The finger prints will never fade from the lives we touch."