| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- things you will one day know Sometimes I wonder what it will take for me realize there is more to life than everything you see here. More to life than what I am. Or what I do. Or what I look like. Or this or that and everything in between. As if the passing of LC�s father in October � a swift but painful death from cancer - and my co-worker�s daughter�s death last month (car crash) were not enough to remind me of these things� Today one of my very esteemed colleagues collapsed in the bathroom. He was 86 years old and had been with this company for 50 years � longer than I have been alive. Indeed he was older than I am now when he started working here. Not only did he refuse any suggestions of retirement but this man was one of the kindest, most endearing, hardest-working individuals I have ever met. I don�t know of anyone here who has ever uttered or heard an unkind word about him. It took eight minutes for the paramedics to arrive. They spent another, very long 15-20 minutes trying to revive him before they carried him away on a stretcher and took him to the hospital. During that 15-20 minute period of time, we all stood staring at the men�s bathroom, waiting for something. Grim, whispering, crying. They announced a few minutes ago that this dear, kind man had passed away. And the only things I can think are: why did I not find more time to talk to this person who always went out of his way to ask how I was doing? And I hope that I can maintain the same spirit and worth ethic and enthusiasm for life that he did � indeed if I die in the bathroom at my place of employment because even though I am 86 and well-deserving of retirement, I would just rather be doing what I do best, well then I will consider that a life well-lived. And finally, there is something I need to be learning � something I need to know that LC�s father and A�s daughter�s deaths only started to suggest to me. I know that life goes on, but I don�t want it to go on without recognizing the beauty of this one man�s life and all that we can learn from it � as well as what we can learn from his passing. Bill, you will be missed. 3:08 pm - 12.20.02
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money can't buy happiness but it does buy small pieces of of serenity - 15.07.12 - 4:29 pm sh)t's about to get real, y'all - 31.05.12 - 9:46 am why the hell not? - 29.04.12 - 8:38 pm Hear that lonesome whistle blow... - 02.04.12 - 5:18 pm a faith in something I can't see - 30.03.12 - 3:33 pm |
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