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Blog 509 – 12.29.2016
Coming And Going All The Time

My darling departed daughter sent me many songs on mixed CD’s before she changed her address. One of those songs that I only came to appreciate after she left this world has these words in the beginning:

“A brand new baby was born yesterday
Just in time
Papa cried, baby cried
Said, ‘Your tears are like mine.’
I heard some words
From a friend on the phone
That didn’t sound so good
The doctor gave him two weeks to live
I’d give him more if I could.”

It is the nature of our journey here that people are always coming and going in and out of our lives. The birth of a new baby and the death of a long time dear friend typify the joy and heart break of all relationships. This time every years during the final days of the last month of the old year each of us in our own way takes stock of the relationships we have. Many of those relationships are a bit one sided because as I said in the beginning of this piece sometimes those we love move out of our lives. Some of them do not die, sometimes they just move out of our circle. It behooves us to always be making new friends for the saddest people on the planet are those who have outlived all their family and friends.

This is a bit heavy so for a little comic relief you probaby know the “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” Bible quote used a lot at funerals. A young girl had recently attended the funeral of an elderly family member and a few days afterwards she came running into her mother’s room shouting, “There is someone under my bed.” Not taking her daughter too seriously, the mother asked, ” Well, who do you suppose it is?” The little girl replied, “I don’t know but somebody is either coming or going under there.” We are so much more than dust under the bed or dust in the wind. We are also the wind and people blow in and out of our lives and we theirs.

It is an ill wind that does not bless someone and we should always try to see the highest and best in all who make appearances in our life however brief. We often do not fully appreciate people till they have moved on or we but it does not have to be that way. With but a little effort and attention we could all be better at expressing our appreciation of others. And how much it would mean to both them and us. That is one of my goals with this blog and all that I do and all that I say – to be a sort of Admiration Society single handedly if no one else is available. So whether you happen to be coming or going, you have a friend in me.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White